Order of draw: Phlebotomy

Order of draw for phlebotomy

1. Yellow (or blood culture bottles)

2. Light Blue

3. Red

4. Red/gray marbled (or gold)

5. Green

6. Green/gray marble

7. Lavender

8. Gray

Yellow stopper additive

Sodium polyanethol sulfonate (SPS) - Prevents blood from clotting & stabilizes bacterial growth

What does Sodium polyanethol sulfonate (SPS) do?

Prevents blood from clotting & stabilizes bacterial growth

Yellow stopper lab use

Blood or body fluid cultures

How many inversions for yellow stopper?

N/A or 8-10

Light blue stopper additive

Sodium citrate (anticoagulant) - removes calcium to prevent blood from clotting

What does sodium citrate do?

(anticoagulant) removes calcium to prevent blood from clotting

Light blue stopper lab use

Coagulation testing

How many inversions for light blue stopper?

3-4

Red stopper additive?

No additive

Red stopper tube lab use

Serum test

Chemistry studies

blood bank

immunology

How many inversions for red stopper?

5

Gold or marbled (red-grey) additive

No anticoagulant. silica particles to enhance clot formation, Serum separator tube (SST)

What do silica particles do?

enhance clot formation/clot activator

Marbled red-grey (or gold) lab use

Serum test

chemistry studies

immunology

use for serum separation

How many inversions for marbled red-grey (or gold) stopper?

5

Green top tube additives

Heparin (inhibits thrombin formation to prevent clotting)

What does heparin do?

inhibits thrombin formation to prevent clotting

Green top tube lab uses

chemistry test

How many inversions for green stopper?

8-10

Green/gray marble top tube additive

Lithium heparin & gel; for plasma separation

What does lithium heparin & gel do?

Separates plasma

Green/gray marble top lab use

Plasma determinations in chemistry studies

How many inversions for green/grey marble stopper?

8-10

Lavender top tube additive

EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) anticoagulant - removes calcium to prevent blood from clotting

What does EDTA do?

anticoagulant - removes calcium to prevent blood from clotting

Lavender top tube lab use

Whole blood hematology tests including CBC

How many inversions for lavender stopper?

8-10

Grey top tube additive

Potassium oxalate and sodium fluoride (anticoagulant) - removes calcium to prevent blood from clotting; fluoride inhibits glycolysis

What does potassium oxalate and sodium fluoride do?

(anticoagulant) - removes calcium to prevent blood from clotting; fluoride inhibits glycolysis

Grey top tube lab use

Chemistry testing

Glucose testing (GTT)

Fasting blood sugar (FBS)

Blood alcohol

How many inversions for gray stopper?

8-10

Royal blue top tube lab use

Trace elements

Cleansing the site for phlebotomy

70% alcohol pads, wiping in an upwards and downward motion with friction.

Order of draw for capillary blood

Blood gases

EDTA tubes

other additive tubes

Serum tubes

Degree of needle insertion for phlebotomy

15° (30° maximum) with bevel facing upward and no hesitation