Exam 12: Specimen Handling, Transportation, and Processing

Specimens other than blood may need to be transported by health care workers using special handling procedures. In the laboratory department, these specimens may include:

Describe the effects of overshaking or vigorous mixing of a specimen.

Blood culture specimens should be delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible.

An amber-brown biohazard bag is used for transporting specimens that will decompose if they are exposed to ________.

Specimens being tested would not usually require centrifugation in which of the following areas?

Assays that require a chilled specimen include:

Specimens that require protection from light include those for:

Which of the following is a possible occurrence if a blood specimen tube for hematology tests is filled correctly but mixed too long or too vigorously?

Aluminum foil can be used to protect specimens from heat.

Which of the following factors should be considered when pneumatic tube systems are used for transporting specimens?

It is preferable for a blood specimen tube to be maintained in a vertical position during handling after the venipuncture.

If blood gases analysis cannot be analyzed within 30 minutes, why should the health care worker use an airtight container with icy water to transport the arterial specimen?

Cooling a blood specimen causes:

In hospitals, for early-morning blood collections, most patients should be fasting.

________ specimens may be centrifuged immediately.

All specimen refrigerators should be labeled with ________ warnings.

It is important to shake the specimen tube vigorously to thoroughly mix blood with an additive.

The most reliable labeling method for avoiding transcription errors in specimen collection is:

The ________ of specimen tubes should remain in place during centrifugation.

Ice packs should be used when transporting coagulation specimens.