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Specimen Collection and Draw Order
Draw Order:
Blood Culture
Blue Top
Red Tops & non-additive (Black & Yellow)
Green Top
Lavender Top
Pink Top
Gray Top
Blue Top (Sodium Citrate)
- Used for Coagulation Studies
- Must be filled to the black line indicated on the tube
- Invert* 4 times immediately after collection
- If only a Protime (PT, TPT) and/or Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT,TAPTT) are ordered, the first tube may be used for testing
- If any other coagulation tests are ordered (Fibrinogen, D-Dimer, Factor studies, etc.), a discard tube (blue top) must be drawn first (vacutainer collection only) The specimen must be processed by the laboratory within 2 hours of collection. To receive information on processing specimens at your draw site, ask for training in Covenant HealthCare Laboratory Services Procedure: Processing Off-Site Coagulation Specimens).
Red/ Black Serum Tube (Clot Activator)
- Used for rare chemistry tests
- Contains no anticoagulant
- Does contain a clot activator
- Invert* 5 – 10 times immediately following collection
- Keep upright (vertical) once collected, as much as possible
- Must be processed by the laboratory within 2 hours of collection
Red/ Yellow Gel Serum Separator (Gel Separation & Clot Activator)
- Used for some chemistry tests and most immunology tests
- Contains a gel layer that separates the red cells from the serum upon centrifugation
- Invert* 5-10 times immediately following collection
- Keep upright (vertical) once collected, as much as possible
- Must be processed by the laboratory within 2 hours of collection
- May not be re-centrifuged
Green/ Yellow (Lithium Heparin Gel)
- Used for most chemistry tests
- Contains an anticoagulant and a gel layer to separate the red cells from the plasma upon centrifugation
- Invert* 5-10 times immediately following collection
- Must be filled to the fill line
- Must be processed by the laboratory within 2 hours of collection
- May not be re-centrifuged
Lavender Top ( EDTA)
- Four ml tubes are used for Hematology tests
- Six ml tubes are used for BNP
- Invert* 8-10 times immediately upon collection
- Sed Rates must refrigerated if not delivered to the lab within
4 hours of collection.
- CBC & Sed Rates cannot be tested off the same tube, if the tube will be refrigerated
- If delivering the specimen to the main lab (1000 Houghton) within 4 hours, refrigeration is not required, therefore both tests can be done off the same lavender top tube.
Pink Top (K3EDTA)
- Used for Blood Bank tests
- Contains an anticoagulant
- Invert* 5-10 times immediately upon collection
- Used for Lactic Acid test
- Invert* 5-10 times immediately upon collection
Microtainers
- Tap microtainer in upright position, prior to opening, to remove anticoagulant from cap
- Green, Red and Lavender microtainers must be filled to the top indicator line to insure adequate sample volume for testing
- Must be inverted 8-10 times immediately following collection
* One Inversion: Gently tilting the tube downward and upwards