Phlebotomy Fundamentals
This professional uses needles to puncture veins to collect blood for laboratory testing.
Who is a phlebotomist?
This PPE should be new and well-fitted for each patient.
What are gloves?
These are drawn first in the order of draw.
What are blood culture bottles or light yellow SPS tubes?
This is the most important step in the venipuncture process.
What is patient identification?
This means fainting.
What is syncope?
Providers use these to detect problems, monitor patients, and see if treatment is working.
What are laboratory results?
This antiseptic is commonly used to clean the site before venipuncture.
What is 70% isopropyl alcohol?
This tube is used for coagulation studies and must be filled completely with a 9:1 ratio.
What is the light blue tube?
The Joint Commission requires using this many identifiers before performing a procedure.
What are two identifiers?
This is the most common venipuncture complication and is caused when blood leaks into surrounding tissue.
What is a hematoma?
Besides drawing blood, phlebotomists may process specimens, do clerical duties, and collect these.
What are non-blood specimens?
This item is placed 3–4 inches above the draw site and should not stay on longer than 1 minute.
What is a tourniquet?
These tubes include red, gold, tiger, and orange tubes.
What are serum tubes?
This type of consent happens when a patient rolls up their sleeve or holds out their arm.
What is implied consent?
This condition can happen when a tourniquet is left on too long or the patient pumps their fist.
What is hemoconcentration?
This trait means continuing to expand professional knowledge.
What is growth?
This is the most commonly used straight needle size and has a green cap.
What is a 21-gauge needle?
This tube contains heparin and is used for plasma chemistry testing.
What is the green tube?
These five things must be on a requisition: full name, DOB, gender, MRN, and this.
What is the doctor’s information?
If a patient reports sharp pain or numbness immediately after needle insertion, the phlebotomist should stop because this may be occurring.
What is nerve damage?
Intentionally harming a patient goes against these important professional standards.
What are ethical standards?
In venipuncture, this part of the needle should always face upward.
What is the bevel?
This tube is used for trace element testing, such as mercury, copper, zinc, and cobalt.
What is the royal blue tube?
This number identifies the specimen as long as it remains in the lab.
What is the accession number?
After filling a vacutainer tube, tubes should usually be inverted this many times.
What is 8–10 times?