Blood Collection Tube EDTA Tube

      Syringe Transfer Technique in Venipuncture

A syringe is usually used with patients who are difficult to collect by routine venipuncture procedure, including techniques using a safety-winged blood collection set (butterfly). With the syringe technique, venipuncture is accomplished without direct connection to the collection tube. Follow these steps:

       1.Use disposable plastic syringes and safety straight needles or a safety-winged blood collection set. For most laboratory specimens, using 20 mL plastic syringes will allow the withdrawal of adequate specimen. Generally, the needle should not be smaller than 21-gauge.

       2. If glass syringes are used, it is essential that the barrel and plunger be absolutely dry. Small amounts of moisture can cause hemolysis. If the glass syringe has been autoclaved, it should be oven dried before use. Air drying techniques are usually not satisfactory.

       3. After the blood is collected by syringe, activate the safety feature of the safety straight needle or safety winged blood collection set. Dispose of the used needle in a sharps container according to the provisions of your exposure control plan, and fill the vacuum tubes according to the provisions of your exposure control plan. Use blood transfer device to fill tubes from syringe.

       4. Do not force blood into the tube by pushing the plunger; this can cause hemolysis and may disrupt the ratio of specimen to anticoagulant.

      Blood Specimen Preparation Procedures

There are two important guidelines to follow when submitting blood specimens. For some tests, such as chemistry procedures, fasting samples are often the specimen of choice. Also, because hemolysis interferes with many procedures, please submit samples that are as free from hemolysis as possible.