Phlebotomy 118 – Week 2: Blood Collection Fundamentals

0.0(0)
studied byStudied by 0 people
learnLearn
examPractice Test
spaced repetitionSpaced Repetition
heart puzzleMatch
flashcardsFlashcards
Card Sorting

1/56

flashcard set

Earn XP

Description and Tags

These Question-and-Answer flashcards review key concepts, procedures, equipment, tube additives, patient preparation, and safety protocols for Week 2 of Phlebotomy 118, aligning with the lecture objectives and textbook material.

Study Analytics
Name
Mastery
Learn
Test
Matching
Spaced

No study sessions yet.

57 Terms

1
New cards

What is the definition of phlebotomy?

An incision or cutting into a vein to obtain blood.

2
New cards

What is venipuncture?

The collection of blood through a tiny incision in a vein, typically using a hollow needle.

3
New cards

Which three main methods are used for venipuncture?

Evacuated Tube System (ETS), butterfly (winged-infusion) method, and syringe method.

4
New cards

Which venipuncture method is preferred for large antecubital veins?

The Evacuated Tube System (ETS).

5
New cards

Which venipuncture method is best for small or fragile veins in any body area?

The butterfly (winged-infusion) method.

6
New cards

Why might you choose a syringe draw over other methods?

It allows the phlebotomist to control pressure on small, fragile veins that collapse easily.

7
New cards

What gauge needles are commonly used with the ETS?

21- or 22-gauge needles.

8
New cards

What is the typical insertion angle for an ETS venipuncture in the antecubital area?

15°–30°.

9
New cards

List the three primary antecubital veins used for venipuncture.

Median cubital, cephalic, and basilic veins.

10
New cards

Which antecubital vein is most anchored and therefore preferred?

Median cubital vein.

11
New cards

Why must a tourniquet be removed within one minute?

To prevent venous stasis and hemoconcentration, which can alter test results.

12
New cards

How far above the puncture site should a tourniquet be placed?

Approximately 3–4 inches (7.5–10 cm).

13
New cards

What questions should you ask a patient before a draw?

Full name, date of birth, fasting status, medication use, and test preparation instructions.

14
New cards

What is the correct patient identification protocol?

Ask the patient to state full name and date of birth and verify against the specimen label.

15
New cards

Name two skin conditions or sites to avoid during venipuncture.

Hematomas, burns, scars, eczema, or areas proximal to a mastectomy or IV line.

16
New cards

If both arms have IVs running, where should you draw blood?

Below the IV site, or request that a nurse perform the draw.

17
New cards

Why should the needle bevel always face up?

To ensure smooth entry and reduce tissue trauma.

18
New cards

Which tube color contains no additive and is used for ABO blood typing?

Red tube.

19
New cards

What additive is in the light-blue tube, and what testing is it for?

Sodium citrate; used for coagulation studies such as PT/INR and aPTT.

20
New cards

How many inversions are required for a light-blue tube?

3–4 gentle inversions.

21
New cards

Which tube contains EDTA and what common test does it perform?

Lavender tube; Complete Blood Count (CBC).

22
New cards

What is the inversion requirement for a lavender tube?

8–10 inversions.

23
New cards

Which additive is in the gray tube and what test is it primarily used for?

Potassium oxalate/sodium fluoride; Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) and blood alcohol levels.

24
New cards

What is the order of draw to prevent additive cross-contamination?

1) Yellow (SPS), 2) Light Blue, 3) Red/Gold/Tiger (serum), 4) Green, 5) Lavender, 6) Gray.

25
New cards

What does the SST tube contain and what panel is commonly run on it?

Clot activator and thixotropic gel; Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP).

26
New cards

Why must serum tubes clot before centrifugation?

To allow complete clot formation and prevent fibrin strands from interfering with serum yield.

27
New cards

What gauge butterflies are commonly used?

21-, 23-, and 25-gauge needles.

28
New cards

What is hemoconcentration?

Pooling of blood leading to higher concentration of cellular elements at the draw site, causing inaccurate results.

29
New cards

Which site is often chosen for venipuncture in obese patients?

The cephalic vein.

30
New cards

Which vein lies close to the brachial artery, requiring caution?

The basilic vein.

31
New cards

What immediate action is taken if an artery is accidentally punctured?

Apply firm pressure and report the incident.

32
New cards

What needle size should be paired with small-volume (low vacuum) tubes?

Smaller gauge needles, e.g., 25 g.

33
New cards

Why should tubes never be vigorously shaken?

Shaking can cause hemolysis of red blood cells.

34
New cards

What cleaning solution must replace alcohol when collecting a legal blood-alcohol specimen?

A non-alcoholic cleanser such as iodine or chlorhexidine.

35
New cards

Describe the two-step cleaning method for blood cultures.

First clean with alcohol, then apply iodine or chlorhexidine in concentric circles.

36
New cards

How many bottles are drawn for a blood culture set and why?

Two: one aerobic and one anaerobic to detect organisms that thrive with or without oxygen.

37
New cards

Which tube additive prevents glycolysis and preserves glucose?

Sodium fluoride (in gray tubes).

38
New cards

What laboratory tests require the patient to fast 12–14 hours?

Glucose tolerance test (GTT) and lipid panel.

39
New cards

What should be written on every specimen label?

Patient’s name, date of birth, collection date, and collector’s initials.

40
New cards

How is a chain-of-custody maintained for forensic alcohol testing?

Document every person handling the specimen and seal the sample in a tamper-evident bag.

41
New cards

Which green tube test must be transported on ice and analyzed STAT?

Arterial Blood Gas (ABG).

42
New cards

What is the purpose of the flange on a tube holder?

To stabilize the holder when inserting or removing tubes, preventing needle movement.

43
New cards

Define ‘additive’ in the context of blood collection tubes.

A substance placed inside a tube in small amounts to achieve a specific effect such as anticoagulation or clot activation.

44
New cards

Define ‘inversion’ in phlebotomy.

The gentle turning of a tube end-to-end to mix blood with an additive without shaking.

45
New cards

What is the recommended angle of insertion for butterfly needles in non-antecubital sites?

0°–10° to minimize vein collapse.

46
New cards

Name two tests run from a gray tube besides GTT.

Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) and blood alcohol levels.

47
New cards

Which tube is preferred for DNA testing and what additive does it contain?

Yellow tube containing ACD (acid citrate dextrose).

48
New cards

What is the purpose of heparin in green tubes?

It acts as an anticoagulant to provide plasma for chemistry tests.

49
New cards

Which test screens for prostate cancer and what tube color is normally used?

PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen); SST (gold or tiger-top).

50
New cards

How is a GTT timed if a patient has a five-hour protocol?

Collect fasting specimens, then specimens at 1-hour intervals for five hours.

51
New cards

What is the main risk when transferring blood from a syringe to a tube?

Higher likelihood of accidental needle sticks.

52
New cards

Which color tube is collected first when the physician orders PT/INR, CMP, and CBC?

Light-blue tube (PT/INR) following the order of draw.

53
New cards

If a patient has a unilateral mastectomy, from which arm should blood be drawn?

The arm opposite the side of the mastectomy.

54
New cards

What is ‘glycolysis’ in serum specimens?

Destruction of glucose over time; prevented by prompt centrifugation or using gray tubes.

55
New cards

Which additive promotes clot formation in serum tubes?

Clot activator (often silica particles).

56
New cards

What term describes an abnormal connection between two hollow spaces, often avoided for draws?

Fistula.

57
New cards

What angle should be used for radial arterial blood gas draws?

30°–45°, but performed only by trained personnel.