Part 25: Specialized Phlebotomy Additives

Описание: In this video, we’re going to break down the tube additives and collection protocols that protect specimen integrity in clinical laboratory testing—because the right tube, the right fill, and the right handling can be the difference between an accurate diagnosis and a false result.

First, we’ll explain what the major additive categories actually do in the tube:

Anticoagulants (to prevent clotting when plasma or whole blood is needed)

Antiglycolytics (to preserve glucose and other sensitive analytes)

Clot activators (to help produce serum quickly and consistently)

Next, we’ll focus on the standardized order of draw, and why it’s non-negotiable. You’ll see how the correct sequence prevents additive carryover and cross-contamination between tubes—one of the most common causes of preanalytical error.

Then we’ll cover the practical details that labs expect you to master:

Precise fill volumes to maintain correct blood-to-additive ratios

Proper mixing/inversion technique to prevent micro-clots, hemolysis, or incomplete anticoagulation

We’ll also go into special collections where contamination risk is higher, including:

Trace-element testing, where even small environmental contamination can skew results

Blood cultures, where strict technique is needed to avoid microbial contamination and false positives

Finally, we’ll look at what happens after the draw: centrifugation and separation, including why timing, speed, and correct separation methods matter to keep analytes stable during the post-collection phase.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll know exactly how to match tube chemistry to the test, follow the order of draw, and handle specimens correctly from collection through processing—so results stay accurate and reliable.

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