Anemia
low concentration of red blood cells.
Antecubital Space
is located on the inner arm, just below the bend in the elbow.
Anticoagulant
a chemical used in venipuncture tubes to keep blood from clotting.
Antigen
substance that causes the immune system to create antibodies.
Arterial Blood
blood from an artery.
Aseptic Technique
ways of removing microorganisms and preventing infection in a patient.
Biohazardous
contaminated with blood or bodily fluid and may cause infection or disease.
Blood Culture Tube
have a yellow or yellow/black stopper
These tubes are used for preserving and identifying microorganisms.
Blood Type Test
uses blood obtained from venipuncture to determine a person's
blood type by testing for the presence of certain antigens.
CLIA-Waived Test
simple laboratory procedures and tests that are unlikely to produce incorrect results. These tests may be performed by all health care workers. Special certification is not required.
Capillary
microscopic vessels that carry blood between the arterial and venous
vessels.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
is a federal agency that prevents and controls diseases.
Centrifuge
machine that is used to spin blood. A centrifuge can spin blood up to 10,000 revolutions per minute. The spinning causes the blood parts to separate into layers
Chemical Additive
used to prepare blood for certain types of tests. These additives may improve the quality of the blood or accelerate the testing of the blood.
Coagulation Tube
have blue stoppers. These tubes contain
sodium citrate, which helps to remove calcium from the blood.
Complete Blood Count:
uses blood obtained from venipuncture to
determine the number of red blood cells and white bloods cells in a specific amount of blood.
Congenital Disease
is a disease that is present at birth.
Contaminate
is to make something unpure or unclean
Disinfection
type of medical asepsis that destroys most pathogens, but is not always effective on viruses and spores.
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate:
uses blood obtained from venipuncture to determine the degree of inflammation in the body by measuring the rate at which
red blood cells settle to the bottom of a test tube
Fasting:
to eat very little or nothing.
Fasting Blood Sugar Test
is a glucose test that is performed after 8 to 12 hours of fasting.
Glucose Tolerance Test:
is used to evaluate how well a person
metabolizes a specific amount of glucose.
Glycohemoglobin Test
measures the amount of glucose that attaches to the hemoglobin
Hematocrit
is a test that measures the volume of red blood cells in the blood.
Hematoma
is a black-and-blue mark that forms around the puncture site during
venipuncture.
Hemoglobin
is the protein in blood that contains iron and carries oxygen.
Hemolysis
is the breaking down of blood cells
Infectious Disease
is a disease that results from an invasion of
microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses.
Lancet
small blade that can pierce 2 to 4 millimeters into the skin. They can be
manual or automated. Lancets are used for most skin puncture procedures.
Material Safety Data Sheet
contain information about the
proper use of chemicals. They also contain a list of safety precautions related to the chemicals.
Microorganism
are small living bodies that are not visible to the
naked eye. Some are used to maintain body processes, but others may cause infection or disease.
Non-Additive Tube
Non-Additive Tube: In venipuncture, non-additive tubes have red stoppers. They are used so that
the blood will clot and separate when spun in the centrifuge.
Order of Draw
the correct order in which tubes of blood must be drawn in to prevent cross-contamination.
Personal Protective Equipment:
must be worn to protect health care workers from contact with hazardous materials. PPE includes gloves, masks, eyewear, and gowns.
Phenylketonuria
congenital disease that is caused by a defect in the metabolism of the amino acid, phenylalanine. If phenylalanine is left un-metabolized in an infant, the brain may not develop completely, which will result in mental retardation.
Phlebotomy
Phlebotomy: Phlebotomy is the process of collecting and studying blood.
Plasma
is the liquid part of the blood.
Plasma Separating Tube
have light green stoppers.
These tubes contain a gel separator that separates the plasma from the other parts of the blood.
Platelets
are small cells in the blood that aid in clotting.
Polycythemia
is a high concentration of red blood cells.
Separator Gel
used in some venipuncture collection tubes. When the blood is spun in a centrifuge, the gel will form a barrier between the parts of the blood, such as between the red blood cells and the plasma.
Serum Separating Tube
have a gold or red/gray stopper.
They contain a gel separator that separates the red blood cells from the serum (white blood cells, platelets, and plasma) when the tube is spun in a centrifuge.
Sodium Heparin Tube
have dark green stoppers. These tubes are used to determine levels of lithium and ammonia in the blood.
Standard Precautions
are infection control practices that must be used by health care workers for all patients, regardless of the sickness. Standard precautions include guidelines for patient contact and environmental cleanliness.
Tourniquet
used to constrict blood flow and to make veins more visible. Tourniquets are made of a variety of materials, including rubber, elastic, and Velcro
Venipuncture
is the collection of blood from a vein.
Venous Blood
is blood from a vein.