Abstract:
Background: Phlebotomy, the act of drawing blood through venipuncture, is one of the most
common procedures conducted in the healthcare facilities. Venipuncture is essential for the
diagnosis and treatment for various diseases. Possessing basic knowledge and skills required for
blood drawing, using appropriate equipment can help the phlebotomist or nurse reduce the
chances of possible mishaps that may occur during the procedure.
Objectives: To assess the knowledge of nursing and biomedical students on phlebotomy.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted among 100 nursing and
biomedical students at International Institute of Health Sciences, within the age group of 18-35
years in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. A self-administered questionnaire consisted of 20 close
ended questions in English language, was distributed. Data were analyzed using Microsoft
Excel.
Results: Out of the 100 participants, 83% of them have stated that the most common vein used
for venipuncture is median cubital vein which was the correct response. More than half of the
participants have mentioned that 3cc syringe is suitable to draw blood from infants, which
should be winged infusion set. Meantime, in a question asked on the steps of preparing a patient
before venipuncture, over one-third stated that they should place a finger over the vein to guide
the shaft of the exposed needle which is unacceptable due to disinfection protocols. When
considering the scores pertaining to knowledge and practice, many students have accurately
responded to questions regarding knowledge (83%) than practice (60%), which showed the
insufficient practice on phlebotomy.
Conclusions: There is a room for improvement in the knowledge on phlebotomy practices of
nursing and biomedical students. Organizing workshops and training sessions will be useful for
nursing and biomedical students as well as for practicing nurses and phlebotomists.
