Phlebotomist Mock Interview
Practice 30 Phlebotomist interview questions covering venipuncture skills, patient care, and safety protocols.
Question 5 of 30
What are some issues you can think of that may hinder drawing blood in a geriatric patient?
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Heather Douglass has over 20 years of experience as a Career Coach, Recruiter, and HR Specialist. Much of her experience is as a Technical Recruiter in the healthcare industry.
"I don't have a lot of experience with geriatric patients, but one thing I can think of that may be an issue is problems with the range of motion, possibly due to arthritis or some other disorder that makes it difficult for a patient to straighten their arm. This could make it difficult to find a good vein in the arm."
Darby Faubion has been a Nurse and Allied Health Educator for over 20 years. She has clinical experience in several specialty areas, including pediatrics, medical-surgical, critical care, and hospice.
"There are several issues that may hinder geriatric blood draws. If a patient is disoriented, they may feel afraid or threatened and become combative. This poses a threat not only to the patient but to the clinician, as well. Also, dehydration, especially in the elderly, can be a problem. Most geriatric patients have lost a bit of their adipose tissue, which makes the skin looser. A phlebotomist has to pull the skin taut to help veins become more visible. If a patient has loose skin and is dehydrated, this makes the draw even more difficult."
Heather Douglass has over 20 years of experience as a Career Coach, Recruiter, and HR Specialist. Much of her experience is as a Technical Recruiter in the healthcare industry.
Changes in geriatric patients may create some instances of difficulty with obtaining a blood sample. The interviewer wants to know that you can identify some factors that may influence the ease of performing venipuncture and what could be done to prevent a problem.
Heather Douglass has over 20 years of experience as a Career Coach, Recruiter, and HR Specialist. Much of her experience is as a Technical Recruiter in the healthcare industry.
"One of the biggest problems I have run into has been an issue of loose skin and the difficulty that sometimes arises when trying to pull the skin taut enough to locate a vein."
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