Clinical ProceduresQuestion 52 of 100
A patient becomes pale and diaphoretic and says the room is spinning midway through a venipuncture. What should the medical assistant do first?
a.Continue the draw quickly and finish all six tubes
b.Step out to find the provider and leave the needle in place
c.Have the patient stand and walk to fresh air
d.Stop the draw, remove the needle and apply pressure, lower the patient's head or lay them down, and stay with them
Explanation
Presyncope during a draw requires stopping immediately, removing the needle with pressure over the site, and positioning the patient with the head lowered or lying flat to restore cerebral blood flow while someone stays with them. Continuing the draw or leaving a needle in an unsteady patient risks nerve injury and a fall. Standing and walking a lightheaded patient greatly increases the chance of collapse.
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