When would capillary fingerstick collection be appropriate instead of venipuncture?

• A. In infants or when veins are not accessible, or for certain point-of-care tests.
• B. For all adults, as a preferred method.
• C. Only when a patient requests it.
• D. It should never be used.

Answer: (A)

Capillary fingerstick collection is used when veins are difficult to access or when a quick, small-volume sample is needed at the point of care. This makes it ideal for infants or patients with difficult venous access, and for certain bedside tests where rapid results are important. It isn’t the standard method for most adult lab testing because venipuncture provides larger, more consistent sample volumes and cleaner separation of serum or plasma, reducing variability. Capillary samples can be influenced by tissue fluid, have variable hematocrit, and aren’t suitable for every test, so choosing fingerstick is based on practicality and the test requirements rather than patient preference alone.