blue
Drawing a discard tube before a blue tube in blood collection prevents contamination with tissue fluids or substances that could affect test results. The discard tube helps clear the line of air and ensure that the blood sample collected in the blue tube is free from any potential contaminants.
Orange shield tube is usual for infectious disease tests. Blue top may be used for many types of test.
A lavender-top tube should be collected for a complete blood count (CBC).
Platelet function studies are typically collected in a blue-top tube (sodium citrate) to prevent clotting and maintain the function of platelets for analysis.
Clotting
The haptoglobin test is typically collected in a red-top tube, which does not contain any additives. Alternatively, it can also be collected in a serum separator tube (SST).
A red top tube (serum separator tube) is typically used to collect blood for digoxin level testing. The tube should be inverted gently to mix the blood with the anticoagulant and clot activator present in the tube. Once the sample is collected, it should be processed promptly to separate the serum for analysis.
If a lavender tube is collected before a light green tube, there is a risk of contamination and carryover of additives present in the lavender tube into the sample collected in the light green tube. This can affect the accuracy of test results and potentially lead to erroneous findings. It is important to follow the correct order of draw to ensure the integrity of the samples.
Blood for CBC is usually collected in a purple-top tube (containing EDTA).
No, I do not spin a blue top tube.
No, the liquid portion of a specimen collected in a tube containing EDTA is plasma. Serum is the liquid portion of a blood sample collected in a tube without anticoagulant. EDTA is an anticoagulant that prevents blood clotting by chelating calcium ions.