Phlebotomy Personal Safety and Blood Collection Procedures

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering personal safety, hazard types, infection control, and blood collection procedures including tube additives and testing.

OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is responsible for identifying workplace hazards and creating regulations to minimize exposure to risks.

Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act (NSPA)

A law signed on November 6, 2000, that revised the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard to require employers to identify, evaluate, and implement safer medical devices.

Percutaneous

A term meaning through the skin, often used in the context of injuries from contaminated sharps.

Sharps injury log

A mandated record for tracking percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps that must maintain the confidentiality of the injured employee.

Biologic hazards

Infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that can cause infection.

Hepatitis B (HBV) durability

The hepatitis B virus is exceptionally durable and can survive in dried blood for $7\,\text{days}$.

Nosocomial infection

An infection acquired in a healthcare or laboratory setting; Hepatitis B is the most common example for lab employees.

Hepat

A root word meaning liver.

itis

A suffix meaning inflammation.

Direct-contact transmission

The skin-to-skin transfer of microorganisms from an infected or colonized person to a susceptible host.

Indirect-contact transmission

The transfer of microorganisms through contact with a contaminated intermediate object, such as clothing, equipment, or bedding.

Airborne precautions

Measures used to reduce the risk of infectious agents dispersed by air currents, requiring special air handling and an N95 respirator.

Droplet precautions

Measures used for infectious particles generated during coughing or sneezing that generally travel short distances of $3\,\text{feet}$ or less.

Sharps container disposal

Containers must be locked and disposed of when they reach the fill level of $\frac{2}{3}$ full.

Mechanical means

Tools such as forceps, tweezers, or a broom used to pick up broken glassware to avoid skin contact.

Regulated waste

Waste disposed of in properly labeled containers or red biohazard bags which must be processed at an approved incineration or disposal facility.

Plasma

The liquid portion of unclotted blood that still contains clotting factors; obtained by using tubes with anticoagulants and centrifuging.

Serum

The liquid portion of blood that has been allowed to clot; it does not contain clotting factors because they were used during the coagulation process.

CLSI

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, which defines the industry standard order of draw to minimize cross-contamination.

Blood Culture Bottles (BCX)

Sterile bottles containing nutrient broth and SPS used to detect systemic infections or Fever of Unknown Origin (FUO).

SPS

Sodium polyanethole sulfonate, the additive found in sterile blood culture bottles or yellow top tubes.

Sodium Citrate

An anticoagulant found in Light Blue Top tubes that prevents coagulation by binding to the calcium in the specimen.

Sodium Citrate Ratio

The specific blood-to-additive ratio required in Light Blue Top tubes, which is $9:1$, or nine parts blood to one part additive.

Prothrombin Time (PT)

A coagulation test that evaluates the extrinsic system of the coagulation cascade; often used for patients on a Coumadin regimen.

Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)

A coagulation test that evaluates the intrinsic system of the coagulation cascade; often used for patients on a Heparin regimen.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

A therapy where a patient's platelets are harvested from their blood (centrifuged for $12\,\text{minutes}$) and re-injected to accelerate healing.

Buffy coat

The white separating layer between the red blood cells and the plasma visible after centrifugation.

Silica

A clotting agent used in plastic Red Top tubes; it is avoided in PRF procedures because it can cause inflammation and degrade osteoblasts.

10% Bleach Solution

A sodium hypochlorite solution used for decontaminating spills; for body fluid spills, a $1:10$ ratio should be used and left for at least $10\,\text{minutes}$.