The requisition will contain all or part of the following information depending upon your facility: name, date, time, ordering physician, type of test, medical record number, Social Security number, date of birth, test status, patient location, and initials of phlebotomist. All tube labels MUST include the patient's name, date, time, and the phlebotomist's initials.
Computer information systems in phlebotomy are used to maintain patient data and results, receive orders, print requisitions, and generate patient charges.
Equipment and supplies needed for phlebotomy include gloves; tourniquet; alcohol prep pads; gauze pads; adhesive bandage or tape; needles, evacuated tube holder, or syringe; sharps container; permanent marker, pen, or computer labels; and evacuated tubes.
Evacuated tubes are a closed system of collection that allows for multiple tubes to be collected with one venipuncture.
Used needles, sharps, and in many cases the tube holder must be disposed of in a sharps container made of nonpenetrable materials and bright red and orange biohazardous label.
Evacuated tubes come in different colors with different additives and are designated for different tests based upon their additives. You should be familiar with the most common tube colors used at the facility where you are employed.
The order of the draw is blood culture or yellow SPS tube, SST, serum tube—glass or plastic, heparin tubes (green), PST tube, EDTA tubes, pink or lavender, then gray tube.
The winged-set includes a needle that has butterfly wings; short, thin tubing; and a place to attach a syringe or evacuated tube for blood collection. The syringe set, although used infrequently, includes a needle and syringe plus a transfer device for adding blood to the evacuated blood tubes.
Dermal puncture is performed with a safety lancet or puncture device, special collection tubes, and the same equipment used for venipuncture.
