So, you are to go for a blood test Singapore. Well, it makes sense that you prepare yourself in advance for what is bound to happen next. If your healthcare provider has given you a laboratory request form, then you need to bring it with you to the test. For patients who have had an order telephone consultation, your form may have been sent to the clinic directly.
The good news is that most blood tests don’t require any special preparation. Some tests require an appointment or may have special requirements prior to the blood test. Your doctor or midwife should inform you about this, but you can also check online.
Having a clear insight of what you should expect when going for a blood test Singapore, helps you prepare in advance for what lies ahead. Once you arrive at a collection center, you’ll need to take a number card, scan it and take a seat. When it is your turn, you will be called into the room and asked to be seated. You’ll be required to say your full name, date of birth, address, and phone number.
If you have fainted in the past or have a phobia of needles, be sure to let them know so they can position you so you are less likely to faint and help keep you at ease. Most healthcare professionals are highly skilled at drawing blood from a variety of patients, considering some veins are trickier to draw from than others and may require different equipment to be used.
Once you’re in the correct position, they will gather the required equipment, wash or cleanse their hands and put on gloves. A tourniquet will be placed around the bicep area of your arm. You will be asked to make a fist and hold your hand still and tight. They will then press against your skin to locate the best vein.
Your skin is then cleansed with an alcohol wipe, which may feel a bit cold, to kill any bacteria at or near the site. After the alcohol has dried, the needle is then inserted into your vein. The insertion of the single-use sterile needle is relatively quick and will feel like a small pinch or sharp sting.
Depending on how many blood tubes are drawn in the needle, it may be left in for anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes. Once the blood has been drawn, they will remove the needle and hold gas against the puncture site. You will then be asked to apply pressure on the site.. Hold the pressure until you are asked to remove your hand.
