Specimen Collection Manual and Test Catalog

TUBE: 2 mL EDTA lavender-top tube minimum 1.6 mL of whole blood OR EDTA microcollection tube with 250-500uL of whole blood 
AND 
SLIDES: Off-campus laboratory: Two-three blood smears are to accompany the sample. They must be labeled with two (2) patient identifiers and made within eight (8) hours of collection
AND 
HISTORY: A brief history is entered into EPIC. The EPIC form is to accompany the blood sample to the Hematology Lab. site.

Add-ons greater than sixteen (16) hours from collection cannot be performed unless a slide was previously made. 

Smears made from refrigerated tubes between 8 and 16 hours of collection will be checked by the lab for acceptability.

Do not centrifuge. Prepare two (2) or three (3) blood smears from fresh sample.

Refrigerated (tube and smears).

Room temperature:  8 hours Refrigerated: 16 hours 
Once peripheral blood slides are made, they are stable indefinitely but are only stored for 28 days. 
Blood smears for RBC morphology reviews cannot be made from specimens after 8 hours (Room Temperature) or 16 hours (refrigerated) due to increased cellular degeneration/RBC crenation.

Clotted, frozen, hemolyzed, overfilled, underfilled, or centrifuged tubes. Specimens beyond stability limits.

None seen

CBCD and Schistocyte interpretation by technologist

Slide review for hemolysis, fragments

Schistocytes are fragments of red blood cells produced by extrinsic mechanical damage within the circulation. The detection of schistocytes is an important morphological clue for diagnosis of hemolytic anemias.