Final Exam Flashcards
What is plasma?
portion of the blood without cells
What is serum?
liquid portion of blood after clotting has occurred, fibrinogen is not present
What is the primary function of the anticoagulant sodium fluoride?
acts as an antiglycolytic agent
What is the anticoagulant of choice for the hematology department?
EDTA
What does EDTA stand for?
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
What is the anticoagulant of choice for the coag department?
sodium citrate
What is the anticoagulant of choice for the chemistry department?
heparin
Why is freezing whole blood not normally recommended to preserve a specimen?
It will cause the RBCs to hemolyze
What are the two primary reasons patients are placed in isolation rooms?
to protect the healthcare staff, visitors, and other patients from the patient
What does EDTA prevent clotting?
prevents coagulation by binding or chelating calcium in the form of potassium or sodium salt
How does heparin prevent clotting?
inhibits the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin
What are the sites for capillary puncture on an adult?
finger, heel, and big toes
Where would you not want to perform capillary puncture?
ear lobes
What is the preferred area on a finger for puncture?
on the side of the middle or ring finger, cut perpendicular to finger print
What is a hematoma?
a bruise/blood bubble
What causes a hematoma?
needle puncture through a vein, or if the needle is not inserted fully
What happens if you push the tube onto the needle before entering the patient’s vein?
the vacuum in the tube will already be used and filled with air, so it will not pull the blood into the tube
What is the purpose of removing the tube from the needle prior to withdrawing from the patient’s vein?
to release the vacuum in the tube
What are clot activators?
initiates or enhances coagulation
What are some examples of clot activators?
glass or silica particles, siliceous earth, thromboplastin and thrombin
What color top is a blood culture bottle or tube?
yellow or yellow-black top
What color top is a sodium citrate tube?
light blue top
What color top is a non-additive tube?
red top
What color top is a SST tube?
red-gray or gold top
What color top is a sodium heparin tube?
green
What color top is a lithium heparin tube?
light green
What color top is a EDTA tube?
lavender
What color top is a ACDA or ACDB tube?
pale yellow
What color top is a oxalate/fluoride tube?
light gray
Why does order of the draw exist?
helps to avoid cross-contamination of additives between tubes
What does a sclerosed vein feel like when palpated?
feels hard and cord-like
Should a sclerosed vein be used?
no
What is edema?
excess fluid accumulation in tissues