Order of Draw and Additives

Order of draw

1. Blood culture/Sterile

2. Light Blue

3. Red/ ST

4. Green

5. Lavender

6. Tan

7. Pink

8. Grey

9. Blues

Blood culture

SPS

Sterile

ACD

Light Blue

Sodium Citrate

Red

None

SST

Thixotropic gel

Green

Heparin (Ammonia, Lithium, Sodium)

Lavender

EDTA

Grey

Sodium Floride

SPS

Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate. Blood cultures

ACD

Acid Citrate Dextrose. Light Yellow

EDTA

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. anti coagulant

Light blue top

Coagulation tube containing Sodium Citrate.

Royal Blue

Trace element metal poisoning. Contains EDTA

Thrombin

Clotting factor

Substances that enhance coagulation

Glass particles (silica), Inert clays (celite)

Special use Anti-Coagulents

ACD (Acid Citrate Dextrose), CPD (Citrate Phosphate Dextrose), SPS (Sodium Polyanethol Sulfonate)

Anti-Glycolytic

Sodium Fluoride (grey tube)

Methods of preventing clotting

Precipitating Calcium, inhibiting thrombin

Anti-Coagulents

EDTA, Citrates, heparin, oxalates

Order of Draw for Dermal Puncture

1. Lavender, Pink (EDTA)

2. Green (Heparin)

3. Anything else

4. Serum (red or gold) tube

Sodium Citrate Function

Used for clotting test (light blue) because it is the best at preserving coagulation factors such as Platelet Count Test (PTT)

EDTA Function

Used for hematology because it helps preserve shape of cells and reduces platelet clumping

Heparin Function

Used in chemistry test because it prevents blood clots from altering test results (anticoagulants)

Potassium Oxalate Function

Used for testing sugar levels because it helps to preserve glucose along with sodium fluoride

Sterile Tube (light yellow) Inversions

8-10

Lt. Blue Tube Inversions

3-4

SST and Serum Tube Inversions

5

Green Tube Inversions (heparin)

8-10

Lavender Tube Inversions (EDTA)

8-10

Gray Tube Inversions (potassium oxalate and sodium fluoride)

8-10

microbiology departement tubes

blood cultures, yellow topped tubes

hematology department tubes

light blue, lavender, pink,

chemistry

red top, red family, greens, tan, grey, blues

toxicology

tan and blues

function of yellow topped tubes and vacuum culture vials?

containing SPS, an anticoagulant that reduces the activity of certain antibodies. Meaning it inhibits phagocytosis, enhancing the ability to detect bacteria

Whats the function of light yellow tubes containing ACD?

mainly for blood preservation for donation, human leukocyte antigen (HLA), and DNA testing.

whats the function of the light blue tubes?

contains sodium citrate for coagulation studies. Platelet count tests (PTT) and fibrogen

whats the function of the red tube?

alllow the fibrin to form a clot (about 30 min) and produces serum for routine blood donor, screening and testing of infectious diseases (HIV)

whats the function of serum separation tubes (gold, tiger tops)

polymer binder moves up in centrifuge to separate serum from fibrin and cells. used for chemistry and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)

whats the function of rapid serum tubes (orange)?

containing thrombin, completes clotting of blood in less than 5 min for STAT procedures

whats the function for the lithium heparin tubes (light green)?

bilirubin testing which is a yellow waste pigment created when the body breaks down old red blood cells. Processed by the liver, it is excreted from the body via bile. Must be covered in foil since bilirubin is photosensitive

what is the function of the sodium heparin tubes (dark green)?

ammonia testing to evaluate sever liver function. must place on ice to slow down metabolic rate

whats the function of the purple (EDTA)?

CBC, WBC, RBC. hemoglobin A1c (average hemoglobin of a patient over 3 months)

whats the function of tan tubes (EDTA) ?

lead poisoning

whats the function of pink tubes (EDTA) ?

blood typing, DNA, cross matching

whats the function of grey tubes (potassium oxalate, sodium fluoride)

glucose tolerance test (GTT)

whats the function of blue tests (EDTA)?

metal poisoning (trace elemtents)

black test tubes

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). testing of inflammation