What Vacutainers Do You Carry in your IV Kits?

[firedoc5]

Yellow/Striped, Green, Purple, and always, always a red top no matter what. We were lucky. Our resource hosp. would usually tell us which to use. But even if not asked for, we usually obtained a red top.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Blood samples only have to be inverted 5-6 times and and then can be allowed to sit at room temperature for reasonable periods without any issues. In the hospital the lab will go from room to room drawing samples and they simply label them, place them in their tray, and continue on to the next patient. After making their rounds they return to the lab and deliver them. Our ETA is usually under ten minutes from scene to hospital and the samples are then taken directly to the lab if deemed neccessary.

And thanks for the answers to my original question. Haha.

actually those of us who came back and said we don't draw blood in the field answered your question. ha ha the answer was if you think about it, NONE. ha ha

But our service does carry 4 vacutainers(red, purple, blue and tiger striped) and they are the same 4 blood tubes that I put on the truck 7 years ago because they expired 6 years ago, that's how often we draw blood for lab.

[Eydawn]

We draw for 2 of the hospitals we deliver to where I work. Draw blood, invert tubes gently, tape tubes directly to bag. Help ED take tubes off of bag, label.

I think we've got a red top, green top, tiger top and lavender top... maybe a yellow in there too, I don't remember. Haven't done many draws yet myself.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[HellsBells]

This must be an American thing. I am not aware of any services in Canada that draw blood.

[VentMedic]

Now that some have listed pretty colors for tubes, how many know what each tube contains and the lab tests that each tube can be used for? Or, if you are unsure of how much blood you can get, which might be the one tube you would go for? If one knows these things they might have some clues as to the proper mixing, temperarture or priority.

[Flasurfbum]

Damn. Something else I wasn't taught in school. :roll:

It as jsut here, draw up until I say so.

I did find out from an RN that blue has heparin, and needs to be all the way full.

[chaser]

Now that some have listed pretty colors for tubes, how many know what each tube contains and the lab tests that each tube can be used for? Or, if you are unsure of how much blood you can get, which might be the one tube you would go for? If one knows these things they might have some clues as to the proper mixing, temperarture or priority.

Blue- Protime (This tube has an additive, must be filled to top for the test to be accurate)

Striped- Chemistry (cardiac enzymes, liver function, etc.) (Does not need to be filled, it is surprising what tests can be run with a small sample)

Lavender- Hematology (complete blood count-platelets...) (Should be full but can be run if it is not)

Red- Type & Cross

[defib_wizard]

We don't draw blood anymore, mostly due to the fact of not being used by the lab. Nothing ticks me off more than stupid risks to me or my partner. I have had vaccutainers break during filling or during transport. Then to watch the lab person throw out the blood I drew.

So we no longer do it. I did for a while when I was approached by an ed director, but with the stipulation that she furnish the tubes and they better be used. This agreement worked until she moved up and out of the er. Now I have no tubes so no draws are done.

[spenac]

Order of draw and basic info about each color.

1.) Blood cultures (yellow) SPS (sterile)

2.) Light blue (buffered sodium citrate tube)

3.) Red (plain), or Tiger-Top mottled red , Gold(gel separator tube)

4.) Green heparin and light green (sodium or lithium with or without separators)

5.) Lavender (EDTA)

6.) Pink, white, or royal blue (EDTA)

7.) Gray (Na flouride/potassium oxalate)(transport on ice)

8.) Dark blue (FDP)

[firedoc5]

The main one I remember is the yellow top/ striped. I know they are used for blood cultures and such. The red tops can be used for a wide variety of tests so that why we always filled at least one tube.