Phlebotomy Flashcards
In the order of draw, what colour tube comes first if blood culture isn’t needed?
light blue
What is the gauge on a black-capped needle?
22g
What is the gauge on a green-capped needle?
21g
What gauge needle is used on babies up to 2 years old?
23g
What is the number one cause of needlestick injuries?
butterfly needle
Which is the least-often used method of venipuncture?
Syringe; it can only collect up to 5ml at a time, and there is an extra step to move the blood from the syringe to the Vacutainer, presenting a contamination risk.
How long do you have after applying the tourniquet to collect samples and why?
1 minute; the quality of the sample changes after then.
What should you do if you come to collect blood on an inpatient who is getting an IV?
Ask the nurse to stop the IV for 2 min, then collect from below the IV site.
Which colour sample tubes use EDTA as an anticoagulant?
lavender, pink, royal blue/lavender, white
What colour Vacutainers are used in haematology?
lavender, light blue (coagulation subcat), black,
What does red symbolize on a Vacutainer?
no anticoagulants are in the Vacutainer
What are the measurements in an adult needle?
21g, 1.5”
A red tube (aka without anticoagulant) is centrifuged, what layers do you get?
serum, clot (2 layers)
How is a used needle processed?
Yeeted into a biohazard-sharps container
Range of gauge to use on a lancet for a baby’s heel
2.0mm-2.4mm
What colour tube is used for collecting bilirubin?
amber/gold
Why wouldn’t you attach the Vacutainer to the needle before inserting into the patient’s vein?
You will ruin the vacuum.
How would a fibrin clot affect the serum layer of a tube?
A clot in the serum will distort test results.
How does sample size relate to the volume of vacuum tube to be used?
You should use a tube with twice the volume that’s required for the sample.
After collecting a blood sample for cholesterol purposes, what’s next?
invert 8-10x
Which colour Vacutainer is used for testing sugars/carbs?
grey
What advantage does the vacuum tube method of blood sample collection have over the butterfly and syringe method?
- faster, easier than the other three methods
What two things are used to make an IV solution?
- dextrose and/or electrolytes
2. water
What are the two main problems with potassium IV?
- painful at the site of insertion
2. potential for arrhythmias, cardiac depression, and/or cardiac arrest
What should you never do when using a potassium IV solution?
You should never put potassium in a bag that’s already infusing, the potassium will collect at the bottom of the bag. The patient could end up receiving a concentrated dose of potassium.
What substances are put in gray-topped tubes, and what is its purpose?
Gray-topped tubes have both potassium oxalate and sodium fluoride in them. They’re there to preserve the sugars in blood samples (fluoride prevents glycolysis), and the potassium oxalate is an anticoagulant.
Why is filling the drip chamber of an IV tubing set important?
Filling the drip chamber prevents air from entering the IV tubing.
What does D5W NS 0.45 mean?
5% dextrose in water, and 0.45% sodium chloride
What are the three descriptors of IV solutions
isotonic, hypertonic, hypotonic
What color tube top is used to test for arsenic?
?
What color tube top is used to test for zinc?
?
What things do you need to remember when infusing potassium?
check the patient frequently, never add potassium to a solution that’s already infusing,
What things are IV therapy used for?
medications, parenteral nutrition, blood products
Where is the best capillary puncture site for a baby?
?
Where is the best capillary puncture site for an adult?
?
What is the first thing you do when administering IV medication?
check the order
If the patient faints during venipuncture, what should you do?
?
How deep does the needle go for a capillary puncture
?
Are RCTs allowed to insert a PICC line?
?
Which three types of phlebotomy are there, based on site of insertion?
arterial puncture, venipuncture, skin puncture
If a solution is infusing at 140 ml/h, in a set infusing at 15 gtt/ml, what is the drip rate?
35 gtt/min
which tube top color should not be spun and kept at room temperature for 24h
red
When a grey tube is centrifuged, what blood components do you get?
?
When a red tube is centrifuged, what blood components do you get?
?
Which technique error can lead to venous stasis when performing venipuncture?
leaving the tourniquet on the patient’s arm for over a minute
Which technique error can lead to hemoconcentration when performing venipuncture?
vigorous pumping of the fist
Which technique error can lead to venous reflex when performing venipuncture?
Not keeping the patient’s arm aligned downward
What goes on a tube label (4)?
- patient’s full name
- date and time of collection
- collector’s initial
- test name
What are the 3 methods used for venipuncture?
- vacuum
- butterfly method
- syringe
Which vein is the best antecubital vein for venipuncture?
The cephalic vein
What does “anchor the vein” mean in venipuncture?
Press down on the skin with the thumb of the free hand to hold the vein in place.
