IT's All About Phlebotomy Quiz

Confirming an outpatient's name and date of birth provides two important identifiers for blood collection. The name ensures that the correct individual is receiving the blood collection procedure, while the date of birth further verifies their identity and helps prevent any potential mix-ups or errors. This information is crucial for maintaining accurate patient records and ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the blood collection process.

When performing a routine skin puncture, it is important to clean the site with alcohol to disinfect it. After cleaning, it is recommended to allow the site to air dry on its own. This is because blowing dry or using any other method to expedite the drying process may introduce contaminants or cause irritation to the puncture site. Allowing the site to air dry reduces the risk of infection and promotes proper healing.

Identifying the patient is the most important step in the performance of a venipuncture because it ensures that the correct patient is receiving the procedure. This is crucial for patient safety, as it helps prevent errors such as misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment, or blood transfusion mistakes. Proper identification also allows healthcare providers to verify the patient's medical history, allergies, and any specific requirements or precautions that need to be taken during the venipuncture procedure. Overall, accurate patient identification is essential for providing quality care and avoiding potential risks or complications.

A phlebotomist cannot legally draw blood from a fully cognizant patient who refuses consent. Consent is a fundamental principle in healthcare, and patients have the right to refuse any medical procedure, including blood draws. The phlebotomist must respect the patient's decision and not proceed with the blood draw without their consent.

The correct answer is "all answers are correct" because it is important for the phlebotomist to wash their hands before and after specimen collection to maintain proper hygiene and prevent the spread of infection. Even if gloves are used during the collection process, hand washing is still necessary as gloves can sometimes get torn or contaminated. Therefore, all the given options are correct in emphasizing the importance of hand washing in phlebotomy.

A phlebotomist ties a tourniquet before performing a venipuncture to help locate the veins in the antecubital. By applying pressure to the area, the veins become more visible and easier to access, ensuring a successful blood draw. This technique is commonly used in order to minimize discomfort for the patient and to increase the efficiency of the procedure.

If the information of the patient's ID bracelet is not identical to the information on the phlebotomy test requisition and labels for that patient, the phlebotomist should refrain from drawing the sample until ID is resolved. This is important to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the test results. Drawing the sample without resolving the ID discrepancy could lead to misidentification of the patient and potential errors in diagnosis or treatment. It is crucial for the phlebotomist to verify the patient's identity before proceeding with any procedures.

In order to collect blood without an additive, an evacuated tube with a red colored stopper is used. This is because a red stopper indicates that the tube is specifically designed for collecting blood samples for serum testing, which does not require any additives. The other colored stoppers mentioned (lavender, blue, and black) are typically used for tubes with additives for different types of blood tests.

The needle with the smallest bore or diameter is the one with the highest gauge number. In this case, the 23 gauge needle has the smallest bore or diameter compared to the other options given.

A complete blood count (CBC) is a common blood test that provides important information about the types and numbers of cells in the blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The evacuated tube with a lavender stopper is used for collecting blood samples for CBC. The lavender stopper indicates that the tube contains an anticoagulant called ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which helps prevent the blood from clotting and allows accurate analysis of the blood cells.

The step that is missing is that the phlebotomist did not wash his hands in between drawing the lavender top tube on patient Fred Jones and drawing the red top tube on patient Sam Smith. It is important to wash hands in between each patient to prevent the spread of germs and maintain proper hygiene in a medical setting.

Treating all lab specimens as if they are hazardous and infectious is the basis for universal precautions. Universal precautions refer to the practice of assuming that all patients and specimens may be potentially infectious and taking appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of diseases. This approach ensures the safety of healthcare workers and minimizes the risk of transmission of infectious agents. By implementing universal precautions, healthcare facilities can effectively protect their staff and patients from potential exposure to pathogens.

The best sequence of actions would be to first stop the centrifuge to prevent any further damage or injury. Then, open the lid to gain access to the broken glass. Finally, use forceps to safely remove any glass fragments from the centrifuge. This sequence ensures the safety of the individual performing the task and minimizes the risk of injury from broken glass.

The urinary system is responsible for filtering blood to eliminate waste products, maintaining blood pH levels, and regulating water balance in the body. The kidneys play a crucial role in this system by filtering the blood and producing urine, which carries waste materials out of the body. The urinary system also helps to regulate electrolyte balance and blood pressure.

Chlorhexidine is a common component of disinfectant solutions used for the collection of blood cultures. It is an antiseptic and disinfectant that is effective against a wide range of bacteria and fungi. Chlorhexidine is commonly used in healthcare settings for skin preparation before invasive procedures, including the collection of blood cultures. It helps to reduce the risk of infection by killing or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms on the skin. Methanol, glutaraldehyde, and lidocaine are not typically used as components of disinfectant solutions for blood culture collection.

When making a blood smear using two glass slides, it is recommended to have an angle of contact of approximately 30 degrees between them. This angle allows for the proper distribution and spreading of the blood sample on the slide, ensuring an even and accurate smear. Having a larger angle may result in uneven distribution or smearing of the blood, while a smaller angle may not allow for sufficient spreading of the sample. Therefore, a 30-degree angle is considered optimal for creating a well-prepared blood smear.

The correct answer is light blue because a prothrombin time test requires the use of an evacuated tube with a light blue colored stopper. This specific color stopper is used to indicate that the tube contains sodium citrate, which is an anticoagulant necessary for accurate prothrombin time testing. The sodium citrate prevents the blood from clotting, allowing for the measurement of how long it takes for the blood to clot.

When a 5 millimeter evacuated tube appears to extract blood with too much force from a weak vein (causing the vein to collapse), using a pediatric sized tube might yield better results. A pediatric sized tube is smaller in diameter compared to a regular collection tube, which means it will exert less suction force on the vein. This can prevent the collapse of the weak vein and allow for successful blood extraction.

Phlebotomists are required by OSHA to receive training and educational information on various topics related to their job. This includes knowledge about blood borne pathogens, needle and safety handling, as well as proper disposal of glass and sharps. However, preventing identification errors is not explicitly mentioned as a required topic by OSHA. This means that phlebotomists may not be required to receive specific training on this particular subject.

The components of an evacuated tube system for venipuncture include a vacuum collection tube with color coded stopper, a special plastic holder known as an adapter, and a double-sided multi-sample needle with a slanted bore. The compartmentalized, hard shell collection tray is not a component of this system.

EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) is a chelating agent commonly used in blood collection tubes to prevent clotting. It works by binding to calcium ions in the blood, which are essential for the coagulation cascade. By removing calcium, EDTA inhibits the formation of blood clots, allowing the blood sample to remain in a liquid state for further analysis. Therefore, calcium is the element in blood that is bound by EDTA in a collection tube to prevent clotting.

Squeezing the finger too vigorously during capillary blood collection can cause erroneous lab results due to dilution with tissue fluid. When the finger is squeezed too hard, it can cause the tissue fluid to mix with the blood sample, leading to inaccurate results. This dilution can affect the concentration of various components in the blood, such as electrolytes or blood cells, which can result in false readings. It is important to collect capillary blood samples gently to avoid this dilution and obtain accurate laboratory results.

Venules are the correct answer because they are the smallest veins in the human anatomy. Venules collect blood from capillaries and carry it back to the larger veins. Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart, while arterioles are small branches of arteries. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that connect arteries and veins, allowing for the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products.

The rubber sleeve on the end of the multi sample needle prevents blood from seeping into the adapter. This is important because if blood were to enter the adapter, it could contaminate the collection tubes and potentially affect the accuracy of the test results. By having the rubber sleeve, it creates a barrier that prevents any blood from seeping into the adapter, ensuring the integrity of the samples collected.

When drawing blood from a patient with an open IV line, the selected site should be located above the IV. This is because drawing blood below the IV can cause the blood to flow back into the IV tubing, contaminating it. Drawing blood in the antecubital fossa (inner elbow) is a common site for venipuncture, but in this specific scenario, it is important to choose a site that is above the IV to prevent contamination.

The partial thromboplastin time (PTT) test is used to assess the clotting ability of the blood. It measures the time it takes for blood to clot and is used to evaluate the functioning of certain clotting factors in the blood. Before surgery, it is important to ensure that a patient has a sufficient number of working platelets to prevent excessive bleeding during the procedure. Therefore, the PTT test is used to check the clotting ability and determine if the patient has enough platelets for surgery.