Methods of Blood Collection

Question 1

Skin puncture is the choice of blood collection for which patients?

Answer 1

Pediatric, obese, severe burns or thrombotic tendencies

Question 2

What site is skin puncture collected from?

Answer 2

Heel, finger, earlobe or toe

Question 3

Which fingers should be used for skin puncture?

Answer 3

Middle or ring finger
Middle is the first choice

Question 4

What is the best method of blood collection?

Answer 4

Venipuncture

Question 5

How should lancet be placed in correlation to the striations of the finger tip?

Answer 5

Across the striations

Question 6

What is the max depth for venipuncture?

Answer 6

2mm

Question 7

How many degrees should the capillary tube be placed?

Answer 7

Approximately 15 degrees

Question 8

What angle should the needle be during venipuncture?

Answer 8

15 degrees

Question 9

Where should the bevel be for venipuncture?

Answer 9

Bevel up

Question 10

What anticoagulant is in a purple top?

Answer 10

Ethylenediaminetetracetic Acid (EDTA)

Question 11

What studies does a purple top perform?

Answer 11

CBC w/ and w/o diff
ESR
A1C

Question 12

What is the most widely used anticoagulant?

Answer 12

Ethylenediaminetetracetic Acid (EDTA)

Question 13

How does EDTA work?

Answer 13

Binds calcium so blood cannot clot

Question 14

How long can purple top specimens be refrigerated?

Answer 14

24 hours

Question 15

What anticoagulant is in blue tops?

Answer 15

Sodium citrate

Question 16

What studies does blue top perform?

Answer 16

Coagulation studies
- Prothrombin time (PT)
- Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)
- Fibrinogen (Fib)
- D-Dimer

Question 17

How does sodium citrate work?

Answer 17

Binds to calcium

Question 18

How long are blue tops good for?

Answer 18

4 hours after collection

Question 19

What anticoagulant is in green tops?

Answer 19

Heparin

Question 20

What studies does a green top perform?

Answer 20

Plasma and chemistry studies
- Ammonia
- Adrenocorticotropic studies

Question 21

How does heparin work?

Answer 21

Inhibits clotting enzyme thrombin by creating antithrombin

Question 22

What anticoagulant does red top use?

Answer 22

None

Question 23

What studies are red tops for?

Answer 23

Chemistry, serum

Question 24

What does tiger top contain?

Answer 24

Serum Separator Gel

Question 25

What are grey tops used for?

Answer 25

Glucose studies, ETOH

Question 26

What do grey tops inhibit?

Answer 26

Glycolosis

Question 27

Should you draw blood from IV sites?

Answer 27

No, due to dilution of sample

Question 28

What happens in prolonged TQ application?

Answer 28

Blood cell concentration (Hemoconcentration)

Question 29

What kind of tubes should you first draw blood into?

Answer 29

Non additive tubes and then tubes with additives

Question 30

Order of tubes?

Answer 30

Blood culture tubes, blue, red, tiger/yellow (SST), green, lavender, grey

Question 31

What happens if you short fill a tube?

Answer 31

Improper coagulant/blood ratio

Question 32

Should you draw blood while a patient is standing?

Answer 32

Nah

Question 33

What could cause infection during blood draw?

Answer 33

Inadequate cleaning