How to Draw an Arterial Blood Gas

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Keep an ice pack ready and labelled with the patient's name.

   Arterial blood is prone for clotting and needs to be put in an ice pack as soon as it is drawn.
2. 2

   Step 2: Take a 2cc syringe and load about 0.2cc of heparin solution in it.

   Heparin prevents clotting but too much of it can interfere with the results. , Check the pulse with the tip of your fingers and look for the spot where the pulsations hit your fingertips the most.
   
   It's easier if the patient's wrist is hyper extended. , Go at an angle of 45-60 degrees to the skin. , You will know that you are in the artery when bright red blood enters your syringe.
   
   The blood is pulsatile.
   
   If the blood does not pulsate and is dark red, it means that you are in a vein instead. , Bring the needle out, keeping a ball of cotton on the puncture wound.
   
   Ask the patient or his by stander to apply pressure for about half a minute. ,, Bending the needle prevents you from getting pricked. ,
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   Step 3: Check the radial pulsation of the patient.

4. 4

   Step 4: Insert the needle into the spot which you have found in step 3.

5. 5

   Step 5: Look for signs you're in the artery.

6. 6

   Step 6: Once you are in the artery

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   Step 7: draw about 1.5-2 cc of blood.

8. 8

   Step 8: Make sure there are no air bubbles in the syringe.

9. 9

   Step 9: Bend the needle and then recap it to prevent exposing it to air.

10. 10

    Step 10: Immediately put the syringe into the ice pack and send it to the lab.

Detailed Guide

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