Blood Sample Collection
Blood sample collection (phlebotomy) is the process of taking a small amount of blood.
Blood collection is mainly performed from three routes:
Blood collection Venipuncture Capillary puncture Arterial puncture
Purpose Routine lab tests, large Small tests like ABG, oxygen level,
sample (RFT, LFT, Blood glucose, Hemoglobin Blood PH
culture) (point of care test)
• Why Medial cubital vein used over cephalic vein and Basilic vein for blood collection?
1. It is large and prominent, It has fewer nerves nearby and less pain.
▪ Cephalic and Basilic veins are less preferred because of following reasons:
2. Cephalic vein is not used because it is harder to locate where as for basilic vein it lies
near to arteries and nerves and higher risk of injury.
Venipuncture Sample Collection Process:
1. Patient Preparation:
• Patient name, ID, age identifications.
• Explain the procedure and take consent from patient.
• Make patient sit comfortably.
• Ask if the patient is in fasting for at least 8 hours for Fasting Blood Sugar, and for lipid
profile patient should not intake fat containing meals and should be at fasting.
2. Phlebotomist safety:
• Wear gloves
• Prepare all required material for collection (Syringe, vacutainer, tourniquet,
alcohol swab, tubes)
▪ Different tubes are used for different test:
• Levander cap (EDTA anticoagulant present): Anticoagulant chelates with calcium
and prevent from blood clotting.
• Red cap: No anticoagulant present used in biochemistry.
• Yellow cap :( Serum separator Tube) contains a gel separator and clot activator.
• In microbiology Aerobic and anaerobic culture bottle is used containing Sodium
Polyanethol Sulfonate (SPS) anticoagulant which prevent from blood clotting and
inhibits antibacterial substances in blood.
3. Vein Selection:
• Mainly medial cubital vein is used.
Blood sample collection (phlebotomy) is the process of taking a small amount of blood.
Blood collection is mainly performed from three routes:
Blood collection Venipuncture Capillary puncture Arterial puncture
Purpose Routine lab tests, large Small tests like ABG, oxygen level,
sample (RFT, LFT, Blood glucose, Hemoglobin Blood PH
culture) (point of care test)
• Why Medial cubital vein used over cephalic vein and Basilic vein for blood collection?
1. It is large and prominent, It has fewer nerves nearby and less pain.
▪ Cephalic and Basilic veins are less preferred because of following reasons:
2. Cephalic vein is not used because it is harder to locate where as for basilic vein it lies
near to arteries and nerves and higher risk of injury.
Venipuncture Sample Collection Process:
1. Patient Preparation:
• Patient name, ID, age identifications.
• Explain the procedure and take consent from patient.
• Make patient sit comfortably.
• Ask if the patient is in fasting for at least 8 hours for Fasting Blood Sugar, and for lipid
profile patient should not intake fat containing meals and should be at fasting.
2. Phlebotomist safety:
• Wear gloves
• Prepare all required material for collection (Syringe, vacutainer, tourniquet,
alcohol swab, tubes)
▪ Different tubes are used for different test:
• Levander cap (EDTA anticoagulant present): Anticoagulant chelates with calcium
and prevent from blood clotting.
• Red cap: No anticoagulant present used in biochemistry.
• Yellow cap :( Serum separator Tube) contains a gel separator and clot activator.
• In microbiology Aerobic and anaerobic culture bottle is used containing Sodium
Polyanethol Sulfonate (SPS) anticoagulant which prevent from blood clotting and
inhibits antibacterial substances in blood.
3. Vein Selection:
• Mainly medial cubital vein is used.
