Performing Venipuncture and Capillary Puncture — Practice Checklist

Step-by-Step Procedure (7 steps)

1. 1.

   Confirm the order and verify patient identity with two identifiers, matching the requisition to the patient.

2. 2.

   Select venipuncture or capillary (fingerstick) collection based on the test ordered and the volume of blood needed.

3. 3.

   For venipuncture: apply the tourniquet, select a site, cleanse with antiseptic, and draw using the evacuated tube system with the correct tube order for the tests ordered.

4. 4.

   For capillary collection: warm the site if needed, cleanse, puncture with a single-use lancet, and collect into the appropriate microtainer, wiping away the first drop.

5. 5.

   Apply pressure after the draw and check that bleeding has stopped before bandaging.

6. 6.

   Label every tube at the patient's side before leaving the room — never label tubes after moving to a different patient or area.

7. 7.

   Document the collection (time, site, any complications) and route the specimen per the lab's handling requirements (refrigeration, same-day pickup, etc.).

Quality Checkpoints (4)

Confirm each of these before considering the task complete.

• Patient identity is verified against the requisition before any collection starts.

• Tube order of draw is followed correctly when multiple tubes are needed for one venipuncture.

• Tubes are labeled at the patient's bedside, immediately after collection — never pre-labeled or labeled later.

• Bleeding has visibly stopped before the site is bandaged and the patient is released.

Avoid These Mistakes

• ⚠

  Leaving the tourniquet on for more than about a minute, which can hemoconcentrate the sample and affect certain lab values.

• ⚠

  Labeling tubes away from the patient (at a desk, after the next patient has already started), risking a mislabeled or mismatched specimen.

• ⚠

  Not wiping away the first drop of a capillary sample, which can be diluted with tissue fluid and skew results.

• ⚠

  Drawing tubes in the wrong order when multiple additives are needed, which can cause cross-contamination between additives.