Delivery Time Limits

• Routine blood specimen is expected to reach/delivered in the laboratory in the laboratory within how long?

  within 45 minutes
• CENTRIFUGATION needed by the specimen should be done in?

  1 hour
• Hematology specimens with what additive SHOULD NOT be centrifuged?

  EDTA
• A specimen that is marked as what takes PRIORITY over all other specimen in terms of transportation, processing, and testing?

  STAT or EMERGENCY
• Blood smear from EDTA is prepared how long from its collection?

  1 hour
• EDTA specimen for CBC is analyzed within how long but is stable for how long from collection at room temperature?

  within 6 hours, 24 hours
• EDTA specimen for ESR is tested at what in ROOM TEMP and at what when refrigerated?

  4 hours, 12 hours
• EDTA specimen for Reticulocyte Counts is stable for how long in room temperature and if refrigerated?

  6 hours, 72 hours
• What is an alternative for ESR?

  EDTA
• Glucose test drawn in sodium fluoride tubes is stable for how long at room temp and when refrigerated at 2-8 degrees Celcius?

  24 hours, 48 hours
• Prothrombin time is stable for how long?

  24 hours
• Partial thromboplastin time should be analyzed within what from collection?

  4 hours
• What do we use to separate cells, plasma, or serum of blood specimens?

  Centrifugation
• During centrifugation, the tubes should be the same what?

  size and volume
• During centrifugation, the tubes should be what inside the centrifuge?

  Balanced
• Centrifugation is achieved by SPINNING the blood tubes inside the vessel at a HIGH SPEED such that the CENTRIFUGAL FORCE will cause the separation of the specimens.
• During centrifugation, it is important to leave the what of the tubes?

  cover
• It is important to leave the cover of the tubes to AVOID CONTAMINATION, EVAPORATION, forming of AEROSOL as well as changes in the PH of the specimen.
• What specimen collected in what tubes should be CENTRIFUGED IMMEDIATELY and without delay?

  Plasma specimen, tubes with anticoagulants
• What type of specimen needs to be COMPLETELY CLOTTED PRIOR to CENTRIFUGATION?

  Serum specimen
• How long does it normally takes to COMPLETE CLOTTING at room temperature?

  30 to 60 minutes
• Aliquot: portion of a sample specimen taken for chemical analysis or testing
• What is prepared when multiple tests are ordered on a single specimen?

  aliquot