A patient care technician is performing a venipuncture for a patient and observes a hematoma developing at the needle insertion site. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
A. Observe the site for 3 min to see if the hematoma worsens.
B. Remove the needle while keeping the tourniquet in place.
C. Apply pressure to the site for a minimum of 5 min.
D. Continue the blood collection and send to the laboratory for analysis.
Answer (2)
The technician should apply pressure to the site for at least 5 minutes to control the hematoma and then remove the needle. Keeping the tourniquet in place is not recommended as it may worsen the bleeding. Further blood collection should be avoided until the situation is resolved. ;
The patient care technician should apply pressure to the hematoma site for at least 5 minutes and then remove the needle without keeping the tourniquet in place. It is essential to monitor the site for any changes while avoiding further blood collection until the bleeding is controlled. These steps help manage the situation effectively and prevent complications.
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