SPECIMEN COLLECTION & HANDLING Flashcards
Conscious Inpatients/ Hospitalized patients
Verbally ask their full names including middle names
Verify using ID bracelet which includes:
1. First & Last names
2. Hospital/Unit #
3. Room/ Bed #
4. Physician’s name
Sleeping patients
Identified in the same manner as conscious in-patients
Must be awakened before blood collection
Unconscious, Mentally Incompetent Patients
Identified by asking the attending nurse or relative
As well as thru ID bracelet
Infants & Children
A nurse or relative may identify the patient
Outpatient/ Ambulatory Patient
Verbally ask:
1. Full names
2. Address
3. Birth date
Countercheck with Valid ID with photo
3-Way ID to avoid misidentification:
- Patient’s verbal ID statement
- Check ID band
- Visual comparison of labeled specimen with patient’s ID before leaving bedside
Average human body contains how many liters of WB
5 quartz or 4.73 L
Adult Males have approximately how many liters of WB
5 - 6 L
Adult Females have approximately how many liters of WB
4 - 5 L
WB is composed of ___ Plasma and ___Cells
60%; 40%
Process by which blood is obtained from a pateint’s artery
Arterial Puncture
UseL Blood gas analysis & pH measurement
Sites for Arterial Puncture (5)
- Radial Artery
- Brachial Artery
- Femoral Artery
- Scalp Artery
- Umbilical Artery
This test is performed prior to blood collection from radial artery
Modified Allen Test
Major Complication of Arterial Ouncture:
Thrombosis
Hemorrhage
Possible Infection
Unacceptable Sites:
Irritated
Edematous
Near a Wound
Area of an AV shunt or Fistula
Angle for Arterial Puncture:
45 - 60 degrees
Blood is obtained from a patient’s vein
Deoxygenated blood with a dark red color
Venipuncture
Sites for Venipuncture:
Antecubital fossa region
Veins on the wrist & dorsal aspect of hands
Veins on ankle
Antecubital fossa region sites:
- Median Cubital vein (best site)
- Cephalic Vein
- Basilic Vein (not chosen unless no other vein is more prominent; near brachial artery)
Order of Draw
- Yellow
- Light Blue
- Serum (Red)
- Green
- Lavender/ Purple
- Gray
Anticoagulant based on Order of draw
- Blood Culture Tubes, Sodium Polyanetholesulfonate (SPS)
- Trisodium Citrate
- With or Without Clot Activator or Gel Separator
- Heparin (Li, Na, NH4)
- EDTA
- Sodium fluoride & Potassium Oxalate
What tube is used for Lactate Sample collection?
Gray tube
Blocks Glycolysis
Tourniquet placement and duration
3-4 inches above the site
Never leave tourniquet longer than one minute
Angle of needle on Venipuncture
15 to 30 degree angle
Bevel side up*
IV Fluid contamination
Increases
Glucose
Chloride
Potassium
Sodium
IV Fluid Contamination
Decreases
Urea
Creatinine
As little as __% contamination with 5% dextrose will INCREASE glucose in blood sample by ___mg/dL or more
10% contamination;
500 mg/dL
No traces of alcohol should remain on skin because it may cause:
Hemolysis & contaminate Glucose testing
For Ethanol Testing, disinfection is:
Benzalkonium Chloride solution
Zephiran Chloride (1:750)
Most common form of skin cleansing before drawing blood for culture:
70% Alcohol then
Iodophor
Skin disinfectant for blood culture for infants 2 months and older & in patients with iodine sensitivity
Clorhexidine Gluconate
Color coding:
1. 20G
2. 21G
3. 22G
- Yellow
- Green
- Black
Gauge of needle is ___related to the size of the needle
INVERSELY
Gauge used for venipuncture
21G
Gauge used for children
23G
Gauge for winged infusion
23G or 25G
Gauge most commonly used for small & difficult veins
23G
Gauge used for scalp or other tiny veins of premature infants
25G
Needle length
Syringe
1 - 1.5 inches
Needle length
Butterfly needle
1/2 to 3/4 inch
Red top tubes will take __ minutes to completely coagulate blood
60 minutes
Clot activators will cause blood to clot within ___
30 minutes