BLOOD COLLECTION

PURPOSES
Perform variety of laboratory tests
Help in the diagnosis
Screen risk factors
Monitor the effects of treatments and
medications

UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS as set forth

by the Centers for disease Control and
Prevention.

FOUR RIGHTS to be should considered:

RIGHT SPECIMEN
RIGHT TIME
RIGHT PATIENT
RIGHT METHOD

- Patient should be instructed about the

procedure
- Ask the patient if anyone has had
trouble drawing blood from him or her
- Position the patient in the most
comfortable way
- Assurance to the patient

Veins- antecubital area

Medial - best choice
- closest to the skin surface
- largest
- least painful
Cephalic and basilic veins

If the antecubiatal sites cannot be

accessed

Wrist and hand veins

DONTS:
Drawing blood from a patient affected
by stroke and neurological injury.
Drawing blood with extensive scarring
Drawing blood from swollen site
Drawing blood from infected areas
Drawing blood from IV site

DOS
Use the right specimen tube
Try using pediatric tubes when veins are
fragile
Remove tourniquet when the final tube
is to be drawn
Send the specimen to the LAB ASAP.

Blood Collection Tubes come with a

variety of colored stopper caps.

A. Red top- No additives

- blood typing and crossmatching
- most clinical chemistry tests

B. Serum Separator Tube (SST) Red

Top
but with polymer gel and clot
activator.
- blood chemistries
C. Dark Green Top: Heparin
- Often used for Lithium and
Ammonium levels

Serum separator
tube

D. Lavender top: EDTA

- this chelates Calcium
- for most Hematologic Tests
- CBC

E. Light Blue top: sodium citrate

Sodium citrate- removes calcium

Coagulation tests (Prothrombin Time)

F. Light Gray top: sodium fluoride and

potassium oxalate antiglycolytic
agents that preserve glucose for five
days

- primarily to obtain glucose levels

Yellow- black stopper (Blood Culture

tube)
Light blue top
Dark green top
Lavender top
Light gray top
Red top,SST

CIRCUMSTANCES
No accessible veins ( antecubital
fossa)
Small and fragile veins
Order requires more than 4 or 5 tubes
to be drawn
Patient has uncontrolled movement
Patient IV therapy for cancer
Pediatrics

- 3rd and 4th non-dominant hand

DONTS
Using the center, tip, or side of the
finger
Sticking areas that are thick or callused
Puncturing finger that is swollen,
cyanotic , or scarred

DOS
- use of sterile lancet
- first drop pf blood should be wiped
off( extra fluid from the tissues)
- Gently massage to gain drops of blood

NEWBORN AND INFANT

- babys heel should be prewarmed
Foot should be held firmly avoid
sudden movement
Site of puncture side of the heel
Avoid diluting the specimen with
excess tissue fluid by applying too
much pressure.

-discard the needle into a puncture-proof

container
- pressure should be applied
-Inspect the puncture site for any sign of
bleeding or hematoma
- Apply a bandage to the site
- Send properly labeled specimen to the lab
- make sure patient is comfortable

Hematoma formation
Hemoconcentration
Hemolysis
Excessive bleeding
Syncope

Patient instruction regarding the

procedure
Assessing patients response
Should be knowledgeable about the
implication of laboratory results may
have on patient care.