[To reduce the risk of blood collection problems]

Obtaining blood specimens is routine; however, it is one of the riskiest procedures medical technologists perform. At the Fujita Health University Hospital, there were 182,000 blood collections in 2008, and 31 safety management reports on blood collection, accounting for 12% of all safety management reports. To reduce the risk of blood collection problems, our suggestions are as follows: (1) medical technologists should understand that venipuncture may induce nerve injury; (2) they should make efforts to improve their technical procedures; (3) they should develop procedural knowledge, an explanatory manner, and patient service; (4) they should make efforts to establish the safety of the blood collection system; and (5) they should recognize the need to provide high-quality medical services to patients and reduce problems associated with blood collection. Finally, when problems occur, medical technologists should collect accurate information and analyze it to promote blood collection safety.