Blood Collection Equipment, Additives, and Order of Draw

• Phlebotomy Chair - should be comfortable with an adjustable armrest
• Blood-drawing Station - used for outpatient department and typically has a table for supplies, a chair, and a bed for the heel stick procedure for infants and newborns
• Gloves - may be non-powdered latex or non latex.
• Antiseptics- used to prevent sepsis
• Disinfectants - used to kill microorganisms on surfaces and instruments.
• Hand Sanitizer - used as a substitute for hand washing.
• Microscope slide -for blood films
• Torniquet - a constricting device applied to patient's arm prior to venipuncture with the aim of inflating the vein and restricting venous blood for a period of time
• Needles - used for withdrawing blood samples. These are sterile and single use only. There are three types used in venipuncture: multi-sample, hypodermic and winged infusion
• Evacuated Tube System - closed collection system composed of multi-sample needle, tube holder, and evacuated tubes, which prevents exposure from contaminants. Allows numerous tubes to be collected in a single venipuncture.
• Winged Infusion Set - used for difficult veins such as the hands, especially recommended when dealing with pediatric or elderly patients
• Hypodermic - used in syringe system and came with different gauge and lenght for different use.
• Anticoagulants - commonly called blood thinners, are chemical substances that prevents blood clots
• Antiglycolytic Agents - substances that prevents breakdowns of glucose by blood cells, glycolysis.
• Sodium fluoride - most common, preserves glucose and prevents growth of bacteria. Usually used with potassium oxalate for rapid response.
• Clot activators - enhances coagulation in serum specimen tubes
• Thrixotropic Gel Separator - inhibits cells from metabolizing substances and moves between cells and serum or plasma when centrifuged
• Red - none
• Green - Sodium Heparin
• SST ( Serum Separator Tube) - Serum separator, or gel clot activator
• Lavender - EDTA
• Light Blue - Sodium Citrate
• Gray - Sodium Fluoride, Potassium Oxalate
• Yellow - ACD
• Orange or Yellow - Thrombin
• Royal blue - Clot Activator
• ORDER OF DRAW

  1. Color Varies - Blood Cultures
  2. Light Blue - Sodium Citrate
  3. Red - Clot Activator
  4. Yellow - SST
  5. Light Green - Lithium Heparin
  6. Green - Sodium Heparin
  7. Lavender - EDTA
  8. Gray - Sodium Fluoride
• Citrate tube - 3 to 4 times
• Serum Separator Tubes - 5 times
• Serum Tube (Red)

  Plastic - 5 times

  Glass - none
• Rapid Serum Tube - 5 to 6 times
• Plasma Separator Tube - 8 to 10 times