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Phlebotomy Flashcards

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  1. What blood-to-anticoagulant ratio is required for sodium citrate (light-blue top) tubes used in coagulation studies?

    Answer: 9:1

    A 9:1 blood-to-citrate ratio (9 parts blood to 1 part sodium citrate) is required; underfilling dilutes the anticoagulant and artificially prolongs clotting times.

  2. A patient has a hematocrit of 62%. How should the phlebotomist adjust sodium citrate tube collection?

    Answer: Collect less blood to maintain the correct blood-to-citrate ratio

    In patients with hematocrit >55%, less blood is drawn because the reduced plasma volume requires a smaller blood volume to maintain the 9:1 ratio with citrate.

  3. Which additive is found in a gray-top blood collection tube?

    Answer: Sodium fluoride/potassium oxalate

    Gray-top tubes contain sodium fluoride (glycolysis inhibitor) and potassium oxalate (anticoagulant), used for glucose and lactate specimens requiring glycolysis inhibition.

  4. How many times should a serum separator tube (SST/gold or red-gold) be inverted immediately after collection?

    Answer: 5–6 times

    SST tubes should be inverted 5–6 times to ensure the clot activator (silica particles) mixes thoroughly with the blood without causing hemolysis.

  5. Which of the following specimens must be placed in ice water slurry immediately after collection?

    Answer: Arterial blood gas (ABG)

    ABG specimens must be chilled immediately because ongoing cellular metabolism alters pH, pO2, and pCO2 values within minutes at room temperature.

  6. How long should a serum specimen without a clot activator be allowed to clot before centrifugation?

    Answer: 30–60 minutes

    Plain serum tubes should clot for 30–60 minutes at room temperature to allow complete fibrin polymerization before centrifugation; incomplete clotting causes fibrin strands in the serum.

  7. A specimen is discovered to be labeled with the wrong patient's name after analysis. What is the correct action?

    Answer: Reject the specimen and collect a new properly labeled sample after notifying the provider

    Mislabeled specimens are a critical patient safety issue; they must be rejected, the provider notified, and a new, correctly labeled specimen obtained.