h Flashcards
This refers to the order in which tubes are collected during a multiple tube draw or are filled from a syringe.
Order of draw
Order of Draw [arrangement]
- Sterile tube (blood culture)
- Blue-top coagulation tube
- Serum tube with or without clot activator, with or without gel
- Heparin tube with or without gel plasma separator
- EDTA tube
- Glycolytic inhibitor tube
Order of Draw [arrangement]
Stop Light Red, Stay Put, Green Light Go
* Stop - Sterile
* Light - Lt. Blue
* Red - Red
* Stay - SST
* Put - PST
* Green - Green
* Light - Lavender
* Go - Gray
Tube Stopper Color:
* Yellow SPS
* Sterile media bottles
Rationale for Collection Order
* Minimizes chance of microbial contamination
Blood cultures (sterile collections)
Tube Stopper Color:
* Light blue
Rationale for Collection Order
* The first additive tube in the order because all other additive tubes affect coagulation tests
Coagulation tubes
Tube Stopper Color:
* Red
Rationale for Collection Order
* Prevents contamination by additives in other tubes
Glass nonadditive tubes
Tube Stopper Color:
* Red
Rationale for Collection Order
* Filled after coagulation tests because silicaparticles activate clotting and affect coagulation tests (carryover of silica into subsequent tubes can be overridden by anticoagulant in them)
Plastic clot activator tubes
Tube Stopper Color:
* Red and gray rubber
* Gold plastic
Rationale for Collection Order
* Filled after coagulation tests because silica particles activate clotting and affect coagulation tests (carryover of silica into
subsequent tubes can be overridden by anticoagulant in them)
Serum separator tubes (SSTs)
Tube Stopper Color:
* Green and gray rubber
* Light green plastic
Rationale for Collection Order
* Heparin affects coagulation tests and interferes in collection of serum specimens; it causes the least interference in tests other than coagulation tests
Plasma separator tubes (PSTs)
Tube Stopper Color:
* Green
Rationale for Collection Order
* Heparin affects coagulation tests and interferes in collection of serum specimens; it causes the least interference in tests other than coagulation tests
Heparin tubes
Tube Stopper Color:
* Lavender, pink, or purple
Rationale for Collection Order
* Responsible for more carryover problems than any other additive; elevates Na and K levels, chelates and decreases calcium and iron levels, elevates PT and PTT results
EDTA tubes
Tube Stopper Color:
* Pearl top
Rationale for Collection Order
* Responsible for more carryover problems than any other additive; elevates Na and K levels, chelates and decreases calcium and iron levels, elevates PT and PTT results
Plasma preparation tubes (PPTs)
