Blood test hygiene

[Sunshine5820]

To caveat, I do have health anxiety and am aware this can affect my thinking of things so please be kind!

I went to a large blood testing clinic today where they blood test multiple patients an hour. I was surprised that the phlebotomist used a fabric tourniquet which had been used on other patients. Additionally, she proceeded to then wipe my arm with alcohol wipe, but then feel it for a vein (and didn’t re-wipe). Only when she did the actual blood draw did she put gloves on.

Given I have health anxiety, I can sometimes get a bit more worried about things than others! I just wanted to understand from any medical professionals around on here whether these are acceptable procedures? And also whether there’s any infection risk from this?

It sounds fine

Nurse here. Honestly, as long as a fresh needle and vacuum tube was used, the infection risk is so tiny as to be virtually non existent. Even alcohol wipes aren't used as standard now as they dry the skin out and don't reduce risks very much. Additionally not all NHS trusts mandate the use of gloves anymore when undertaking needle based procedures. I tend to when taking blood but that's more for my protection than the patient's, due to the risk of me coming into contact with their blood.
By far the biggest infection risk comes from the needle entering the body. As HCPs we're taught never to touch anything that is going to go into someone with a surface that isn't completely sterile. As long as this was maintained, and I'm sure it was, you'll be completely fine,

Thank you both for reading my post and responding.

@JennieTheZebra yes the needle didn’t touch anything before drawing the blood so that was indeed followed, as you would expect! I guess I’m also just questioning the fact a fabric tourniquet was used - it seems very outdated particularly in a phlebotomy clinic! No hand washing or hand sanitiser either ☹️

I gave blood yesterday and they use a blood pressure cuff. Didn’t occur to me it was an issue, it was higher on my arm than the needle site.

i’m sure they know what they are doing

@Sunshine5820 why? As I said, the exit wound for the needle is incredibly tiny, so a fabric tourniquet will make zero difference unless it was actively dirty and lying on top of the exit wound. The thing is, everything non sterile, and this includes the cotton wool and plaster that was put on the wound afterwards, will have microorganisms on. This is the whole point of the "no touch technique"; that nothing non sterile ever comes into contact with either the critical part (tip of the needle) or critical site (entry/exit wound). As long as this was maintained you will be completely fine. Trying to keep the whole thing environment sterile is futile and a massive waste of resources.