Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) Practice Exam

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Prepare for the Intensive Care Medicine Exam with our comprehensive quiz. Discover detailed scenarios and multiple choice questions with in-depth explanations to enhance your preparation. Master ICM concepts and boost your exam readiness!

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What is an appropriate method for ensuring vein visibility before venipuncture?

Applying cold to the area
Asking the patient to jump
Lowering the limb
Using a tension bandage

The correct answer is: Lowering the limb

Lowering the limb is an effective method for enhancing vein visibility before venipuncture. When a limb is lowered, the effects of gravity help to increase venous return to the area, subsequently distending the veins and making them more prominent. Additionally, this method can improve the overall blood flow and provide better access for needle insertion. The other methods do not achieve the same level of effectiveness for vein visibility. For instance, applying cold to the area typically causes vasoconstriction, which can make the veins less visible. Asking the patient to jump may increase blood flow momentarily, but it is not a controlled or reliable way to enhance vein visibility and can create discomfort. Using a tension bandage can sometimes occlude blood flow rather than enhance it, leading to decreased visibility of veins as well. Therefore, lowering the limb is the most physically effective technique when preparing for venipuncture.