What is the recommended draw order for a patient requiring multiple tubes?

The recommended draw order for a patient requiring multiple tubes is guided by the need to prevent cross-contamination of additives that may interfere with test results.

The correct order begins with blood culture tubes, as these are crucial for detecting infections and are sensitive to contamination. Following that, light blue tubes, which contain sodium citrate, are drawn next to avoid any triggers from additives in subsequent tubes that could affect coagulation testing. The red tube comes after, as it does not contain any additives that could compromise the results of the tests performed later. Then, the gold or tiger top (separator gel) tube is used. This is followed by green tubes that contain heparin, used for various tests, including certain types of chemistry tests. After these, lavender tubes containing EDTA are drawn; this is particularly used for hematology tests like complete blood counts (CBCs). Finally, gray tubes, often used for glucose testing or other specific chemistry tests, should be the last to reduce the risk of contamination from other additives.

This careful organization minimizes the risk of cross-contamination and ensures the integrity of each individual test performed on the collected samples.