II. Indications: Pediatric lab evaluation
III. Efficacy
- Less sensitive than venipuncture
- Hemoglobin And Hematocrit levels falsely elevated
IV. Technique
- Sites
- Infants: medial or lateral plantar heal
- Older children: medial or lateral pulp of finger
- Site preparation
- Warm area with a moist towel increases Blood Flow
- Lancet size
- Age <6 months: 2.5 mm length
- Age >6 months: 5.0 mm length
- Additional measures
- Consider using VBG syringe for blood collection
- May prevent specimen clotting
- Swaminathan and Fisher in Herbert (2020) EM:Rap 20(8): 4
- Consider using VBG syringe for blood collection