Overview

This information is intended for adults being treated in our inherited metabolic diseases (IMD) clinics. It explains how to collect blood using a lancing (blood-sampling) device and blood spot card. A lancing device is a small tube that releases a thin needle called a lancet. This gently pricks the skin to produce a drop of blood.

Please read all the information before you start to collect the blood. This is important because we may not be able to check your blood sample unless you follow the correct procedure. There are pictures to help you understand what to do.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the adult inherited metabolic clinical nurse specialist.

How to complete a blood spot form

It is important that you complete all the details that we ask for on the blood spot card. Otherwise, the laboratory cannot check your blood sample.

Using the blood sampling equipment

Before you use the equipment, make sure that your hands are warm and clean. The best way to do this is to put the whole of each hand into a bowl of warm (not hot) water.

You get 1 of the 2 lancing devices described in this section. There are separate instructions for each lancing device.

Instructions for the Unistik^® 3 single-use lancing device

Step 1

Hold the lancing device from the sides and twist off the cap until you feel it separate from the device. Just twist the cap and do not pull it. Put the cap in your household bin.

Step 2

Choose a fingertip on 1 of your first 3 fingers where you will take your blood sample. The yellow boxes on the following picture show the possible places where you can take your sample.

Step 3

Press the lancet platform firmly against your chosen fingertip. Then press the release button.

Step 4

The single-use needle gently pricks your skin and immediately retracts (moves back) into the body of the lancing device. You can then put the lancing device in a sharps bin straight away. This is a specially designed box with a lid that you can get on prescription from a GP or pharmacist.

Instructions for the BD Microtainer^® contact-activated lancing device

Step 1

Twist and pull the long piece of blue safety plastic off the end of the lancing device.

Step 2

Choose a fingertip on 1 of your first 3 fingers where you will take your blood sample. The yellow boxes on the following picture show the possible places where you can take your sample.

Step 3

Hold the lancing device between your thumb and finger. Put the device against the side of your chosen fingertip. Press down until you hear a click.

Step 4

The single-use needle gently pricks your skin and immediately retracts (moves back) into the body of the lancing device. You can then put the lancing device in a sharps bin straight away. This is a specially designed box with a lid that you can get on prescription from a GP or pharmacist.

How to collect the blood sample

Step 1

Wipe the first drop of blood away with a clean tissue or gauze (thin, light cloth used to cover cuts). Then keep squeezing and releasing your finger (with a 'milking' action) until you get a large, hanging drop of blood.

Step 2

Transfer the drop of blood into the centre of the marked circles on the card. It is important not to touch the card with your finger.

Step 3

Check that the blood soaks through to the other side of the card. This will not happen if you press your skin onto the card. The following picture shows blood soaked through from the front to the back of the blood spot card.

Step 4

Repeat steps 1 and 2 to fill the circles. If the drops are not as large as the circle, please repeat on another circle with a large drop of blood.

Important: Only 1 drop of blood should be used for each circle. Do not put more than 1 drop onto each circle or make a layer of blood drops.

If the blood flow stops or gets slower, release the pressure and lower your arm. Then wipe the puncture site firmly with gauze, wait 5 seconds and squeeze again.

If you need to try again to get a blood sample, use a new lancing device and choose a different finger.

After taking the blood sample

Step 1

Press a clean piece of gauze firmly against your fingertip until the bleeding stops.

Step 2

Throw the lancing device into your sharps bin immediately after use.

Step 3

After letting the card dry naturally, put it into the plastic sleeve. The end with the blood spot should go into the plastic sleeve first. Then put the card into the pre-paid envelope. Keep the card at room temperature.

Posting the blood sample

Step 1

Make sure that your hospital label is on the card and that you have filled in the date and time of the blood sample.

Step 2

Put the card into the plastic sleeve and pre-paid envelope, and post it to the laboratory.

Useful reminders

When collecting blood for a blood spot card, it is important to remember these things.

If the circles are not completely filled or blood did not soak through the card, we cannot check the blood.