Order of draw

Light blue

Additive: Sodium citrate

Sample type: Plasma

Inversions: 3-4

Department: Coagulation

Tests: PT/INR, PTT, aPTT, D-Dimer

Red (glass)

Additive: None

Sample type: Serum

Inversions: 0

Departments: Chemistry, blood bank

Tests: Therapeutic drug monitoring, discard tube

Red (plastic)

Additive: Clot activator

Sample type: Serum

Inversions: 5-10

Department: Chemistry

Tests: Therapeutic drug monitoring, discard tube, plasma tests

Clear/Clear tiger striped

Additive: None

Sample type: n/a

Inversions: 0

Department: Discard tube only

Gold/Tiger stripes

Additive: Clot activator and gel separator

Sample type: Serum

Inversions: 5-10

Department: Chemistry

Tests: Metabolic panels, lipid panel, CRP, hCG, electrolytes, hepatitis panel, hepatic function panel, renal function panel

Orange

Additive: Thrombin-based clot activator

Sample type: Serum

Inversions: 5-6

Department: Chemistry

Light green

Additive: Lithium heparin and gel separator

Sample type: Plasma

Inversions: 8-10

Department: Chemistry

Tests: STAT chemistry tests, hCG, electrolytes

Dark green

Additive: Lithium OR Sodium heparin

Sample type: Plasma or whole blood

Inversions: 8-10

Department: Chemistry

Tests: Ammonia, plasma chemistry determinations, chromosome studies

Lavender

Additive: K2 EDTA

Sample type: Plasma or whole blood

Inversions: 8-10

Department: Hematology

Tests: CBC, ESR, H&H, hemoglobin A1c, ammonia (depends on lab)

Pink

Additive: K2 EDTA

Sample type: Whole blood

Inversions: 8-10

Department: Blood bank

Tests: Blood typing, crossmatching

White

Additive: K2 EDTA and gel separator

Sample type: Plasma

Inversions: 8

Department: Molecular diagnostics

Tan

Additive: K2 EDTA

Sample type: Whole blood or plasma

Inversions: 8

Department: Chemistry

Gray

Additive: Sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate

Sample type: Whole blood or plasma

Inversions: 8-10

Department: Chemistry

Tests: Glucose, lactic acid, blood alcohol

Royal blue with red stripe

Additive: None

Sample type: Serum

Inversions: 0

Department: Chemistry

Tests: Trace elements (selenium and copper)

Royal blue with lavender stripe

Additive: K2 EDTA

Sample type: Whole blood or plasma

Inversions: 8

Department: Chemistry

Tests: Trace elements (zinc, arsenic, lead)

Yellow

Additive: Sodium polyanethol sulfonate (SPS) or Acid citrate dextrose (ACD)

Sample type: Whole blood blood or plasma

Inversions: 8

Department: Micro or blood bank