Doctors order blood tests for a number of reasons. Blood tests are an essential component in taking care of health, from monitoring drug levels to studying outcomes to formulate a clinical diagnosis. Specifically, they are performed to evaluate the function of certain organs, such as the liver or kidneys, to diagnose diseases, determine risk factors, check drug therapy, and monitor clotting factor. Depending on the type of analysis required, blood sampling can be performed in an outpatient clinic or in a specialized laboratory. You can do a lot to prepare for the exam, both mentally and physically.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Physically Prepare for the Blood Test
Step 1. Talk to your doctor
You need to know the type of exam that is prescribed for you. Some analyzes require special preparation to obtain accurate results. Here are some common tests that need to be specially prepared:
- Glucose Tolerance Test: Patient must be fasting and it takes up to five hours to complete the test, during which a sample is taken every 30-60 minutes.
- Fasting blood glucose test: The patient should fast for 8-12 hours, during which time only water is allowed. This test is usually done in the morning to prevent the person from not eating all day.
- Lipid profile: Sometimes it is necessary for the patient to have fasted in the 9-12 hours prior to blood collection.
- Cortisol blood test: the person should not exercise during the previous day and lie down 30 minutes before the blood draw. Furthermore, he cannot eat or drink one hour before the exam.
Step 2. Evaluate Medicines
Some substances can alter the results of blood tests and you will therefore need to stop taking them before collection. Prescription drugs, illegal drugs, alcohol, vitamin supplements, blood thinners, and over-the-counter medications can often interfere with results, depending on the type of test.
The doctor can determine if you need to wait 24-48 hours before getting tested or if the substances you take do not significantly alter the results
Step 3. Don't engage in certain activities
Some blood results may be affected; for example, they may be compromised by recent physical activity, intense training, dehydration, smoking, taking herbal teas or sexual activity.
Your doctor may ask you to refrain from some of these practices before coming in for the blood test
Step 4. Ask the doctor for information
For many tests it is not necessary to prepare specifically; however, if you have any doubts, don't hesitate to ask. If your doctor does not provide special instructions, it is important that you inform yourself to avoid showing up on the day of the collection without the right organization.
Step 5. Drink enough water
Adequate hydration makes blood collection easier. This way the veins have a larger caliber, are easier to find, the blood is not too thick and flows better into the test tube. If you also have to abstain from water, make sure you hydrate heavily during the day before the test.
This may force you to get up at night to urinate. However, good hydration will facilitate the procedure
Step 6. Warm the ends
Before taking the blood sample, warm the extremity of the limb from which the blood is taken. Apply a warm compress for 10-15 minutes to improve blood flow to the area.
When you go to the hospital or testing lab, wear warmer clothing than the weather requires. In this way, you increase your body temperature and make it easier for the nurse who will draw the blood, allowing him to find a good vein immediately
Step 7. Talk to the nurse
If you have not followed the instructions for preparing for the exam to the letter, you must notify the healthcare professional upon your arrival. If your behavior could lead to a serious alteration of the results, the procedure will be suspended and you will have to show up another day for the withdrawal.
Make it known if you are allergic or sensitive to latex. This substance is present in many gloves and patches that are used during a blood draw. Some people may experience adverse reactions to latex, which are potentially life-threatening. If you know you are allergic or sensitive to this material, it is important to tell both your doctor and nurse so they can use latex-free equipment
Part 2 of 4: Mentally Prepare for the Exam
Step 1. Control your stress
Blood tests can make you nervous or anxious. Unfortunately, increased stress raises blood pressure, reduces the caliber of the veins, and makes the procedure more difficult.
- Learn to reduce stress to improve exam preparation and increase the chances that the nurse will be able to find the vein on the first try.
- You can try deep breathing exercises or repeat a calming phrase such as "It will all be over quickly, many people take a blood draw. They can handle it." For more advice, read the "Using Stress Reduction Techniques" section of this article.
Step 2. Acknowledge your fears
Before you go to the doctor for a blood sample, accept that you are anxious about the procedure. You may also be afraid of needles. Between 3 and 10% of the population suffers from belonephobia (fear of needles) or trypanophobia (fear of all injections).
Interestingly, 80% of people with needle phobia have a first-degree relative who suffers from it. It is possible that this fear is partially genetic
Step 3. Ask for Emla to be used
If you have had blood samples in the past and you know they are particularly painful for you, you can ask your doctor about using this drug. This is a topical anesthetic ointment that is applied to the injection site 45 minutes to two hours before the test to numb the skin.
- If you know you are sensitive to pain, ask if this can be a good solution for you.
- Anesthetic ointment is typically used for children, while it is much less common for adults, as it takes a long time to work.
- You can also ask for a lidocaine and epinephrine preparation to be smeared. A mild electrical discharge is then applied which numbs the area. The anesthetic effect lasts 10 minutes.
Step 4. Understand how the procedure begins
In order to mentally feel more serene and prepared for the withdrawal, you need to understand how it works. The nurse wears gloves to protect herself from your blood; he will then wrap an elastic band around the arm, above the elbow, and ask you to close your fist. During a normal examination, blood is drawn from the vein in the arm or after a puncture is made on the finger.
The elastic band increases the amount of blood in the arm, as the flow reaches the limb through the arteries, which are located in the deeper layers, but the venous one is not fully pumped to the heart. This foresight increases the caliber of the veins, which become more evident and easier to puncture
Step 5. Read up on the withdrawal
The procedure is always the same, regardless of the area of the body where it is done. A needle connected to a test tube is inserted into the vein; when this is detached, it seals automatically.
- If more tubes are to be used, the needle is not pulled out, but another vial is inserted at its end. When all the tubes have been filled, the nurse removes the needle and places a small piece of gauze over the hole in the arm. He asks you to maintain some pressure on the site as he prepares the blood samples for the lab.
- A patch is then placed over the gauze to stop the bleeding.
- The whole process takes 3 minutes or less.
Part 3 of 4: Using Stress Reduction Techniques
Step 1. Breathe deeply
If you're worried about having a blood draw, you need to relax. Inhale deeply and focus fully on the breath. This technique stimulates the body to react by relaxing. Inhale slowly for a count of four and exhale just as slowly for a count of 4.
Step 2. Accept that you are anxious
It is a normal feeling, like everyone else, and it can only take control over you if you allow it to. When you accept that you feel anxiety, you deprive it of its power. If you try to get rid of it instead, it could get overwhelming.
Step 3. Recognize that your mind is misleading you
Anxiety makes the brain "believe" that physical consequences may arise. When it is very intense, it can result in a panic attack that exhibits the same symptoms as a heart attack. When you understand that anxiety, no matter how intense it is, is just little more than a "trick" of the mind, you can reduce the emotional pressure.
Step 4. Ask yourself questions
When you are anxious, you can ask yourself several things to understand exactly the gravity of the situation. This emotion increases the number of outlandish ideas that crowd the mind, while answering specific questions that require realistic solutions you can regain awareness. Here are some examples:
- What is the worst that can happen to me during the withdrawal?
- Are my concerns realistic? Can they really happen?
- What are the odds of the worst thing happening?
Step 5. Have a motivational "self talk"
You can hear your inner words even when you think it is not possible. By speaking out loud and telling yourself that you are strong, that you can handle the situation, and that nothing bad will happen, you are able to control anxiety.
Part 4 of 4: Learn About Events Following the Blood Test
Step 1. Eat a snack
If you had to fast before the blood sample, you must bring a snack with you to eat after the exam. Also bring a bottle of water and choose a snack that doesn't need to be kept in the fridge. This way you can hold out better until you can eat a meal.
- Crackers or a peanut butter sandwich, a handful of almonds or walnuts or whey protein are easy to carry, providing you with some protein and calories until you can eat a full meal.
- If you forgot to bring your snack, ask the hospital or laboratory staff for it. They might have some cookies or crackers just for that.
Step 2. Find out about the waiting times to receive the results
Some tests are ready in 24 hours, while others need a week or more, as the sample must be sent to a specialized laboratory. Discuss the procedure for delivering results with your doctor. In rare cases, results are not provided when all values are within the normal range. If the blood sample was sent to an external lab, ask how long you will have to wait to get the results.
- Ask to be notified of the relationship, even if your blood values are normal. This way you are sure that the results will not "fall victim to the protocols" and that they will be sent to you even if they are within the norm.
- If you have not received your results, call your doctor or lab 36-48 hours after the scheduled delivery day.
- Ask the lab or doctor if they use an online notification system. In this case you will be given the address of a website where you can register and view the results of the blood tests.
Step 3. Pay attention to the bruise
The most common side effect of a blood draw is a bruise, or hematoma, on the sting area. It can occur immediately or within 24 hours following the examination. Some factors that contribute to the formation of the hematoma are: blood leaking from the vein during the insertion of the needle with consequent blood stagnation in the surrounding tissues, coagulation disorders, use of anticoagulant drugs; all this increases the risk of bruising during the collection.
- By applying pressure to the collection site for 5 minutes - the time it takes to stop external bleeding - you can reduce the risk of hematoma (the pooling of blood outside the blood vessel).
- The best known bleeding disorder is haemophilia, but it is quite rare; there are three forms: A, B and C.
- Von Willebrand's disease is the most common bleeding disorder and impairs the ability of the blood to clot.
- The patient should tell the doctor and nurse if he has a blood disorder before undergoing the blood draw.
Step 4. Learn about complications about the results
There are some situations that affect the accuracy of blood test results. For example, prolonged application of the tourniquet causes blood to pool in the arm or extremity from which it is taken, which increases blood concentration and the chances of false positive or false negative results.
- The tourniquet should be left on for no more than a minute to avoid buildup, called hemoconcentration.
- If it takes more than a minute to find the chosen vein, the lace should be removed and reapplied after 2 minutes or shortly before needle insertion.
Step 5. Discuss the possibility of hemolysis with the nurse
This is a complication related to the blood sample and not a problem you may be suffering from. The term indicates the breakdown of red blood cells that release the contents into the serum. Hemolyzed blood cannot be tested and a second sample must be taken. Hemolysis occurs more frequently when:
- The vial is shaken vigorously after detaching it from the needle.
- Blood is drawn from a vein near a hematoma.
- A needle that is too small is used which damages the blood cells as they are transferred into the vial.
- The patient tightens his fist excessively during the procedure.
- You leave the tourniquet on your arm for too long.
