What does it mean to anchor the vein? How does one do that and why?
All valid questions, especially for a phlebotomist.
In this lesson, we will discuss the importance of the Anchor system.
The anchoring system is composed of two parts: Anchor 1 and Anchor 2.
Each has its own purpose. That purpose is to make the blood draw less painful for the patient and easier for the phlebotomist.
Starting with Anchor 1, when we watch the video, we can see the thumb on the nondominant hand of the phlebotomist is used to pull the skin taut at the draw site.
Making the skin taut allows the phlebotomist to puncture the skin with less force, thereby, reducing pain to the patient.
As we see in the following video, Anchor 2, which is the index and ring fingers of the dominant hand, are positioned so that during the blood draw they can steady the device being used.
Anchor 2 is most important to the phlebotomist during the blood draw. Anchor 2 maintains the device as steady as possible, which allows the phlebotomist to exchange one tube with another without the needle being inadvertently pulled from the arm. This reduces the occurrence of hematomas.
Make sure you use both anchors. After doing so, your patients will thank you and your self-confidence will greatly increase. The following video details the vein anchoring process in a clear, visual format.
Anchoring the Vein – Video Demonstration
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