How do I collect a high quality blood sample?

In the evolving landscape of personal health, Vitall's home-based blood testing kits have become increasingly popular. These kits employ capillary blood testing, which involves pricking your skin on your fingertip to collect a small amount of blood for testing.

Your home test kit will contain full instructions for usage, but to to ensure you collect a high-quality sample and attain reliable results, let's delve deeper into the best practices for capillary blood testing at home.

Preparation

• Hydration: Ensure you're adequately hydrated before you collect your sample. This will improve your blood flow and make it easier to collect your blood. 
• Avoid Alcohol and Nicotine: These substances can impact your blood flow and should be avoided before the test. 

Collecting Your Sample

To collect your sample, keep in mind the following steps:

1. Warm up: Circulation increases when your body is warm. Therefore, take a shower or a brisk walk before the test to ensure your blood flows easily to your fingers. 
2. Clean your finger: Use the alcohol swab to clean your finger and remove any dirt or substances that could potentially contaminate your sample. 
3. Prick your finger: Use the lancet provided in your kit to prick the side of your fingertip. Aim for the side rather than the pad as it tends to be less sensitive.
4. Collect the blood: Allow your blood to flow into the collection tube until you reach the required fill line. If your blood flow slows down, you can gently massage your hand and finger to stimulate more blood flow.
5. Don't squeeze hard: It's important to milk your finger gently rather than squeezing it hard. Hard squeezing may lead to haemolysis, which is the breaking of red blood cells that can affect the quality of your sample.
6. Invert the sample tube: Once you've collected enough blood, carefully invert the tube a few times. This will mix your blood with the anticoagulant coated on the tube walls, preventing clotting during transit.

Post-Collection Instructions

After successfully collecting your sample, adhere to these final instructions:

1. Clean the puncture site: Once you're done, place a sticking plaster over the puncture site to prevent infection.
2. Handle the sample with care: While inverting the tube, be gentle to avoid causing haemolysis. Excessive shaking can damage the cells in your sample.
3. Separator gel plug:  If your tube contains a translucent gel plug at the bottom, don't be alarmed. This is designed to separate the blood cells from the serum when it reaches the lab.
4. Timely shipping: Make sure to send your sample to the lab as soon as possible. The longer the delay, the higher the chance for blood cells to degrade, which can affect your test results.

Remember, your sample's quality directly influences the accuracy of your test results. Adhering to these guidelines will ensure that your home-based capillary blood test is as effective and accurate as possible. If you experience any issues during the process, don't hesitate to contact us for assistance.

You can contact our Customer Services Department here or by email to: [email protected]