# Presentation: 921707

## Module 8: Blood Collection – Finger Prick 

## Learning Objectives

- At the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Explain the preparation tasks required for rapid tests
- Put a client at ease while collecting blood
- Collect blood from a finger prick accurately and confidently

## Content Overview

- Preparation for testing
- Educating your client
- Performing a finger prick

## Video: Initial Steps

- The video will help you answer these questions:
- What are the pre-test preparation steps?
- What safety precautions should you use?
- What should you look for in examining kits before use?
- How do you put your client at ease while performing the test?

## Video: Finger Prick

- The video will help you answer these questions:
- How do you ...
- Position the hand?
- Decide which finger to use?
- Clean the fingertip?
- Use a lancet?
- Ensure blood flow from your client’s fingertip?
- Do you ...
- Use a previously used lancet on a client?
- Collect the first drop of blood?

## Pre-collection Safety Precautions

## Finger Prick – Getting Started

**1. Collect supplies**

## Finger Prick – Finger Preparation

**2. Position hand palm-side up. Choose **
**whichever finger is least calloused.**

**3. Apply intermittent pressure to **
**the finger to help the blood to flow**

**4. Clean the fingertip with alcohol.  Start in **
**the middle and work outward to prevent **
**contaminating the area. Allow the area to dry.**

**5. Hold the finger and firmly place a new **
**sterile lancet off-center on the fingertip**

## Finger Prick – Collecting Blood

**6. Firmly press the lancet **
**to puncture the fingertip**

**7. Wipe away the first drop of blood **
**with a sterile gauze pad or cotton ball**

**8. Collect the specimen.  Blood may **
**flow best if the finger is held **
**lower than the elbow.**

**9. Apply a gauze pad or cotton ball **
**to the puncture site until the **
**bleeding stops**

## Finger Prick - Proper Disposal

**10. Properly dispose of all contaminated supplies**

## Instructor-Led Demonstration

## Role Play: Rehearsing Finger-Pricking a Client

_**Purpose**_
- To practice:
- Educating clients (what do you do to put them at* *ease)
- Performing a finger prick (rehearse the action _**without**_ actually pricking the finger)
_**Total Time**_
- 10 Minutes

_**Process**_
- Work in pairs
- Decide roles
- Tester
- Client
- The tester practices on the client (3 min)
- Switch roles; repeat the process (3 min)
- Exchange feedback on each other’s performance (3 min)

## Hands-on Practice: Transfer Pipette

_**Purpose**_
- To practice using a pipette efficiently
_**Materials required**_
- Transfer pipette
- A cup of water
_**Time**_
- 5 minutes

_**Process**_
- Work alone
- Use the pipette to draw and release sufficient amount of water until you become efficient

## Hands-On Practice: Finger Prick

_**Purpose**_
- To practice finger-prick on other people using a lancet, pipette, and other supplies
_**Total Time**_
- 45 Minutes

_**Process**_
- Work in groups of 3
- Decide roles: tester, client, observer
- The tester practices on the client while the observer provides feedback. (15 minutes)
- Switch roles and repeat the process until everyone has taken on each role once.

**Do not practice**
**on your own fingers!**

## Summary

- What do you check in a test kit before use?
- How do you put a client at ease while collecting blood?
- What supplies do you need for a finger prick?
- What are the steps when performing a finger prick?
- What safety precautions should you follow?