Phlebotomy
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Blood Collection Tubes and Additives
Flash Cards:
Collection Tubes and their Additives
List of Collection Tubes, Additives and Effects
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Red Top
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Contains:
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None
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Effects on Specimen:
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Blood clots, and the serum is separated by
centrifugation
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Uses:
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Chemistries, Immunology and Serology, Blood Bank
(Crossmatch)
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Red-Gray Mottled Top ("Tiger
top")
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Contains:
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Serum Separating Tube (SST) with clot
activator
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Effects on Specimen:
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Forms clot quickly and separates the serum with
SST gel at the bottom of the tube
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Uses:
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Blood type screening and
chemistries
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Gold Top
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Contains:
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Separating gel and clot activator
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Effects on Specimen:
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Serum separator tube (SST) contains a gel at the
bottom to separate blood from serum on centrifugation
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Uses:
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Serology, endocrine, immunology, including
HIV
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Light Green Top
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Contains:
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Plasma Separating Tube (Na
Heparin)
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Effects on Specimen:
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Anticoagulants with lithium heparin; Plasma is
separated with PST gel at the bottom of the tube
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Uses:
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Chemistries
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Lavender/Purple Top
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Contains:
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EDTA (liquid form)
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Effects on Specimen:
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Forms calcium salts to remove
calcium
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Uses:
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Hematology (CBC) and Blood Bank (Crossmatch);
requires full draw - invert 8 times to prevent clotting and platelet
clumping
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Light Blue Top
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Contains:
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Sodium citrate (Na Citrate)
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Effects on Specimen:
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Forms calcium salts to remove
calcium
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Uses:
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Coagulation tests (PT, PTT, TCT, CMV), tube
must be filled 100% full.
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Dark Green Top
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Contains:
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Sodium heparin or lithium heparin
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Effects on Specimen:
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Inactivates thrombin and
thromboplastin
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Uses:
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Ammonia, lactate, HLA typing
For lithium level, use sodium heparin
For ammonia level, use sodium or lithium
heparin!
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Dark Blue/Royal Blue Top
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Contains:
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Sodium heparin or Na2 EDTA
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Effects on Specimen:
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Forms calcium salts
Tube is designed to contain no contaminating
metals
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Uses:
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Toxicology and trace element testing (zinc,
copper, lead, mercury) and drug level testing
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Light Gray Top
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Contains:
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Sodium fluoride and potassium
oxalate
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Effects on Specimen:
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Antiglycolytic agent preserves glucose up to 5
days
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Uses:
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For lithium level, use sodium heparin
Glucoses, requires full draw (may cause
hemolysis if short draw)
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Yellow Top
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Contains:
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ACD (acid-citrate-dextrose)
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Effects on Specimen:
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Complement inactivation
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Uses:
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Paternity testing, DNA studies
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Tan/Brown Top
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Contains:
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Sodium heparin
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Effects on Specimen:
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Inactivates thrombin and
thromboplastin
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Uses:
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Serum lead determination
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Black Top
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Contains:
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Sodium citrate (buffered)
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Effects on Specimen:
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Forms calcium salts to remove
calcium
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Uses:
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Westergren Sedimentation Rate; requires full
draw
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Orange Top
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Contains:
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Thrombin
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Effects on Specimen:
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Quickly clots blood
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Uses:
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STAT serum chemistries
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Those individual who have received vocational training
which included venipuncture techniques, documentation, charting and infection control, or those
who are currently employed in a phlebotomy position with at least two years of experience should
seek certification. Certification provides industry recognized credentials and opens doors that
otherwise may remain closed.
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