Incidence of discomfort associated with blood collection in hospital phlebotomy rooms

Abstract

We analyzed the occurrence of discomfort during blood collection in our central blood collection room using approximately 700,000 blood sampling records. A total of 111 cases developed symptoms of discomfort. The incidence rate was 0.02%, with 59% of the cases occurring in individuals under the age of 30. The incidence rate varied by season, with the lowest being 0.005% in April and the highest being 0.028% in July. The incidence rate increased with the number of blood collection tubes; however, when comparing the same number of tubes, there was no significant difference in the blood volume with and without symptoms. The blood collection time was longer compared to cases without symptoms. No correlation was found between the occurrence of symptoms and the skill level or gender of the staff. The occurrence of discomfort during blood collection in our central blood collection room has been presented. Despite the differences in the patient demographics in blood donation rooms, health examination facilities, and hospital blood collection rooms, there is a consistent trend where younger individuals are more prone to experiencing these symptoms. In hospital blood collection rooms, healthcare providers can focus on factors such as patient age, season, and the number of blood collection tubes to proactively prevent the onset of discomfort or detect it early if it occurs.