Medical Assistant Prep / Unit 21 MAS 506 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
If a Patient Feels Faint
The idea
When a patient feels faint during a blood draw, the procedure stops and the patient's safety comes first.
In practice
Step one: release the tourniquet and withdraw the needle at once, applying pressure to the site. Step two: call for help, and lower the patient to a lying position, or lower their head, keeping them from falling. Step three: loosen tight clothing and stay with the patient. Step four: tell the provider, who decides on further care, including whether the patient should drink fluids. Step five: if the patient loses consciousness, keep their airway clear and follow the practice's emergency protocol. Step six: document what happened and how the patient recovered.
Where people slip
Never leave a lightheaded patient alone in a chair. A fall is often the more serious injury, not the faint itself.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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