For early morning rounds a technician has orders for a fasting metabolic panel, a light-blue coagulation tube, and a lavender tube, but the cart has one lavender tube past its expiration date, the ice pack is missing, and the patient sipped juice an hour ago. Which equipment, expiration, and testing-requirement check should the technician complete before collection?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
You’re right to pause collection because your patient sipped juice and the lavender tube is expired. Like baking with stale flour, you need fresh supplies and the right timing for clean results. This pre-check helps you line up the orders, fasting, tube dates, and chilled transport before collecting.
Full Explanation
Pausing collection, confirming fasting and test-order needs, replacing the expired tube, and gathering the correct tubes and supplies addresses every readiness factor: fasting for the metabolic panel, an in-date lavender tube, and chilled transport. Collecting when those needs are met helps prevent preanalytical error and repeat draws. Verifying the orders, replacing the expired tube, and gathering chilled supplies but collecting immediately because the juice sip seems small fails on fasting requirements: even modest carbohydrate intake can elevate glucose and alter metabolic results, so follow protocol before collection. Waiting for fasting and replacing the expired tube but collecting without chilled supplies fails on specimen stability; cooling from collection through delivery slows cellular metabolism and preserves temperature-sensitive analytes. Waiting for fasting and gathering chilled supplies but using the expired lavender tube after a visual check fails on tube integrity: appearance cannot confirm the guaranteed vacuum, additive potency, or sterility, and expired tubes should be removed from stock. An exam caveat is that a combined-readiness question requires resolving every stated deficiency, not just the most urgent one. A practical check is to match orders with fasting status, verify each tube’s type and expiration date, and confirm labels and the ice pack are ready before venipuncture.