Collecting Specimens and Diagnostic Testing

Tourniquet

a device used to make veins easier to find for venipuncturej; these non-latex bands usually measure .5 to 1 inch wide and 15 inches long

Vacutainer tubes

the most used tubes for laboratory blood collection, are color coded based on the presence of any additives within the tube. Anticoagulants, clot activators, and preservatives are a few of the additives that may be present in the tube.

Random Urine Specimens

collected for urinalysis; no special measures are needed; collected anytime

Midstream Specimen

also called a clean-voicded specimen or a clean-catch specimen; the perineal area is cleaned before the collected specimen is collectedalso called a clean-voicded specimen or a clean-catch specimen; the perineal area is cleaned before the collected specimen is collected

24-hour Specimen

collected during a 24-hour period; urine is trypically chilled or refrigerated to prevent the growth of microbes

Urinalysis

a test used to identify components of the urine, is usually conducted on patients that are pregnant, have an illness, or are suspected of having abused an illegal substance

Sputum Specimens

sputum - not saliva - is tested usually due to disorders of the lungs, bronchi, etc.; studied for blood, microbes and abnormal cells

Stool Specimens

collected to identify any type of bacteria or virus that may be responsible for a patient experiencing diarrhea, abdominal pain or other related symptoms; must be collected in a clean, dry container and transported to the testing area in a container with a tightly fitted lid

Culture and Sensitivity

testing that refers to the process of cultivating a specimen in order to determine whether the developed organism is sensitive to antibiotics; the process begins with the collection of a direct specimen which is then cultivated in a special media, or agar; the special media functions to encourage the growth of present microorganisms in the specimen; when the growth of a microorganism is detected, the organism is tested against different antibiotics for sensitivity to antibiotics; an antibiotic is considered effective if it can stop or slow down the organism's growth in a controlled situation

Throat Culture

performed on a patient to detect a disease-causing organism and determine an appropriate method of treatment; throat cultures are performed to identify bacteria that may cause any of the following: strep throat, whooping cough, and epiglottitis

Wound Culture

performed to identify the pathogen that is responsible for an infection of a patient's wound; specimens may be collected from animal bites, ulcers, and skin wounds; performed by swabbing the inside of a wound and placing the swab in a transport container

Special Procedures - 2-hour Post Prandial Glucose

(PP) means after a meal; glucose specimen is collected 2 hours after a patient eats a meal

Special Procedures - Glucose Tolerance Test

(GTT) is used to diagnose carbohydrate metabolism problems; patients must eat well balanced meals 3 days prior to the test and must fast at least 12 hours before the test; p[atients must drink glucose prior to testing and have 5 minutes to finish the drink; levels will peak within 30 minutes to an hour following glucose ingestion

Special Procedures - Lactose Tolerance Test

same procedures as GTT but the patient must drink lactose rather than glucose

Special Procedures - Bleeding Time Test

(BT) performed on the forearm and uses a blood pressure cuff inflated to 40 mm Hg; phlebotomists will use an automated incision device to puncture skin and will use filter paper to blot the blood drops; this is a timed test and phlebotomist will blot blood every 30 seconds until the patient stops bleeding

Special Procedures - Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)

most common site radial artery; use a Modified Allen Test to see if patient has adequate circulation; you must cleanse the site with alcohol and then clean with iodine; insert syringe needle at a 45-degree angle; when complete apply pressure for at least 3 to 5 minutes; this test is drawn in an inpatient setting and analyzed immediately after collection

Clinical Laboratories

an area in a healthcare facility where inpatient and outpatient diagnostic testing is conducted; certain areas of the medical laboratory are designated for clinical analysis, while others are for surgical and anatomical pathology analysis

Hematology Laboratory

this department deals with the handling of various blood specimens; tests performed in this department include WBC counts, RBC counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit (HCT), RBC indices, and platelet counts; the results of these tests indicate conditions such as dehydration, anemia, leukemia, and a wide variety of other diseases

Chemistry Laboratory

the most performed tests within this department include those for blood glucose levels, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride), total protein etc.; the results of these tests can range from the confirmation of pregnancy to the presence of a liver disorder

Blood Bank Laboratory

this is the section of the laboratory where blood is collected, stored, and prepared for transfusion; it is essential for all staff members to comply with the standards for patient identification and specimen handling to ensure the safety of all the patients

Smears

performed for visual examination of cells under a microscope; can be performed on blood (peripheral smear) and cervical epithelium (pap smear)

Snellen test

measures visual acuity which determines the amount of visual details at given distances on the Snellen eye chart

Ishyihara test

a color perception test that uses specialized color plates with numbers to assess for red-green color blindness