Question 16

Cleanse the site with antiseptic

After selecting the site for a capillary draw collection, the phlebotomist should cleanse the site with antiseptic to reduce the risk of infection and ensure accurate test results.

A) Secure the patients hand

While securing the patient's hand may help stabilize the site during the draw, it is not the immediate step that follows site selection. The priority is to cleanse the area to maintain sterility before any further actions.

B) Label the specimen

Labeling the specimen is an important step, but it should occur after the collection has been made. Proper labeling ensures that the sample can be correctly identified, but it does not address the immediate need for site preparation.

C) Cleanse the site with antiseptic

This option is correct as cleansing the site with antiseptic is crucial to prevent contamination and infection during the capillary draw. It is a standard protocol that must be followed after the site has been selected.

D) Squeeze the patients finger

Squeezing the patient’s finger is typically done to promote blood flow before collection, but it is not a step that should follow site selection. In fact, this should be done with caution and only after the site has been properly cleansed.

Conclusion

Cleansing the site with antiseptic is the essential step to ensure the area is free of contaminants before a capillary draw. While other options may be relevant steps in the overall procedure, they do not directly follow site selection in the proper sequence. Therefore, Option C is the definitive correct answer.