A 78-year-old woman is admitted overnight for observation after a mechanical fall. She is eating and drinking,…

Question

A 78-year-old woman is admitted overnight for observation after a mechanical fall. She is eating and drinking, takes only oral medications, and no intravenous therapy is planned. Her forearm veins are prominent and easily palpable. At 2300 the ward nurse asks you to insert a cannula so that the morning blood tests can be drawn from it, explaining that this is the unit's usual practice for overnight admissions. Which one of the following should you do before leaving the ward?

Accepted Answer

Collect the morning sample by venepuncture

Answer

Insert a 20 gauge forearm cannula

Answer

Insert a 22 gauge hand cannula

Answer

Insert a cannula and remove it after sampling

Answer

Refer her to the vascular access team

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