Annals of clinical biochemistry
-
Ann. Clin. Biochem. · Nov 2011
Variation in phlebotomy techniques in emergency medicine and the incidence of haemolysed samples.
Phlebotomy is a potential cause of preanalytical errors. We have observed phlebotomy in routine practice in a busy Emergency Department, to see how current practice compares with optimal blood sampling. ⋯ This study has shown that phlebotomy techniques in the Emergency Department deviate from standard practice significantly. This may well be a reason for the much higher frequency of haemolysed samples and with the wrong order of collection the possibility of potassium-EDTA-contaminated samples.