A Phlebotomist Is Collecting Sample for a Complete Blood Count

Multiple Choice

A phlebotomist is collecting sample for a complete blood count (CBC) and a prothrombin time (PT) from an adult patient. Both were collected into the proper tube for the test. It was a difficult draw, completed without incident using a butterfly (because the patient's veins were hard to feel) and a syringe. After the collection was complete, and while mixing the tubes three times by inversion, the phlebotomist noticed that the sample volume in the tube for the PT was a little low. To save time, he or she added a little sample from the CBC tube to the PT tube. This action will result in which of the following outcomes?

A) Testing will not be delayed because both tubes contain an anticoagulant anyway.
B) Testing will be delayed because neither test requires an anticoagulated sample.
C) Testing will not be delayed because a little difference in sample volume does not matter.
D) The PT test will be affected.