Avoiding Phlebotomy-Related Lawsuits

This video identifies the types of injuries patients suffer from poorly performed venipunctures that prompt legal action. Actual case studies from the files of an expert witness illustrate key concepts and detail the most common mistakes.

Most people aren’t aware of the injuries that can be inflicted during a routine venipuncture. Yet hundreds if not thousands of patients every year suffer permanent, disabling, disfiguring and paralyzing injuries---even amputation and death---as a result of improperly performed venipuncture procedures.

This video identifies the types of injuries patients suffer from poorly performed venipunctures that prompt legal action. Actual case studies from the files of an expert witness illustrate key concepts and detail the most common mistakes phlebotomists and their managers make that result in injury.

Approximate running time: 42 minutes.

Features include:

• eye-popping 3D graphic animation of the proper angle of insertion and the mechanics of nerve injury;
• discussions of the most common phlebotomy-related injuries and the errors healthcare personnel commit that inflict them;
• detailed information on patient identification, nerve injuries, antecubital anatomy, preventing hematoma and much more;
• Over 15 reenactments of actual phlebotomy-related injuries that have prompted legal action against healthcare providers;
• 1.0 hour of ASCLS P.A.C.E.® continuing education credit;
• Consistent with the most recent CLSI venipuncture standards, H3-A6 (revised November, 2007).

After watching this video, viewers will be able to:

• associate errors in technique, judgment, and supervision with phlebotomy-related injuries;
• identify the most common injuries poor phlebotomy technique inflicts upon patients;
• evaluate your own potential to inflict a phlebotomy-related injury;
• describe the anatomy of the antecubital area in regards to veins, arteries and nerves;
• define the limits to needle manipulation according to CLSI standards;
• identify the high-risk vein of the antecubital area and much more;

Use Applied Phlebotomy in your new employee orientation and training to make sure your staff is properly trained, your risk is properly managed an your specimens are properly collected. By applying the techniques and information presented in Applied Phlebotomy, phlebotomists and other healthcare professionals will be able to protect against the numerous and significant negative outcomes that can be caused by poor specimen collection and processing techniques.