Lesson 1Sample tube selection, additives (EDTA for CBC, glycolytic inhibitor for glucose) and rationaleExplains right tube types and additives for glucose and CBC, covering EDTA's job in keeping cell shapes intact and glycolytic inhibitors in holding glucose steady, including colour codes, fill amounts, and usual picking errors to avoid.
EDTA tube selection for CBC testingFluoride oxalate and other glycolytic inhibitorsTube color codes and manufacturer variationsRequired fill volume and anticoagulant ratioAdditive mechanisms and cellular effectsConsequences of wrong tube selectionLesson 2Storage, transport conditions, and time limits for glucose and CBC samplesLooks at temperature, light, and time rules for glucose and CBC samples, covering cool packs, tube systems, and max hold times, to keep test substances stable and stop early breakdown or clotting in local labs.
Room temperature vs refrigerated storageUse of ice slurries for glucose stabilityTransport timing for CBC samplesPneumatic tube and courier considerationsMaximum pre-analytical holding timesMonitoring and documenting transport conditionsLesson 3Step-by-step venipuncture technique with emphasis on minimizing hemolysisGives a clear venipuncture step-by-step, aimed at cutting down hemolysis, including gear setup, vein angle, tourniquet time, tube care, and ways to dodge bubbling, too much pull, or extra poking for better sample quality.
Pre-assembly and inspection of equipmentOptimal skin antisepsis and drying timeNeedle angle, depth, and vein anchoringTourniquet release timing and impactGentle tube filling and avoiding frothingManaging difficult draws without traumaLesson 4Immediate post-collection handling: inversion, mixing, clotting times, and aliquotingCovers right away steps after venipuncture, like inversion counts, mixing methods, clotting periods, centrifuge prep, and splitting samples, to keep glucose and CBC samples good for testing in busy clinics.
Inversion counts for EDTA and fluoride tubesProper mixing technique to avoid hemolysisRequired clotting times for serum tubesTiming of centrifugation for stabilityAliquot labeling and secondary containersHandling delays and documentationLesson 5Waste disposal, sharps management, and post-procedure patient care and monitoringDescribes safe sharps and biohazard waste dumping, handling accidents, and key after-care for patients, including site checks, advice, and watching for bleeding, swelling, or fainting spells in Namibian settings.
Sharps container selection and placementSegregation of infectious and noninfectious wasteNeedlestick and exposure response stepsPost-venipuncture site assessmentPatient instructions after blood drawDocumentation of incidents and follow-upLesson 6Standard precautions, hand hygiene, and PPE selection for phlebotomyGoes over standard safety rules for blood draws, covering hand washing, PPE picks based on risks, cough manners, and safe habits to block blood germs and other bugs in health centres.
Indications and technique for hand hygieneGloves, gowns, masks, and eye protectionRisk-based PPE selection for phlebotomyRespiratory hygiene in collection areasEnvironmental cleaning of draw stationsPolicies for immunocompromised patientsLesson 7Vein selection, tourniquet use, and order of draw principlesTells how to pick good veins, use tourniquets safely, and follow CLSI draw order, stressing to stop additive mix-over and blood thickening that might change glucose or CBC outcomes.
Preferred and alternative venipuncture sitesAvoiding compromised or painful veinsTourniquet placement and time limitsEffects of prolonged stasis on resultsCLSI order of draw sequence detailsOrder of draw for multiple glucose tubesLesson 8Labeling requirements and essential documentation fieldsExplains must-have label parts and records for glucose and CBC samples, like patient IDs, collection info, test asks, and legal needs, to track well, cut errors, and back right result reports.
Primary and secondary patient identifiersDate, time, and collector identificationTest orders, priority, and clinical notesLabel placement on glucose and CBC tubesElectronic vs paper requisitionsLegal and accreditation documentation needsLesson 9Patient identification and pre-test requirements (fasting, consent, medication review)Sets out right patient ID and before-test prep for glucose and CBC, including fasting checks, agreement, med reviews, and looking at recent sickness or steps that could sway test reads.
Two-identifier verification processFasting status and timing confirmationInformed consent and patient educationMedication and supplement reviewRecent illness, exercise, or smoking checkSpecial considerations for diabeticsLesson 10Common collection errors (hemolysis, mislabeling, wrong tube) and impact on resultsLooks at usual draw mistakes like hemolysis, wrong labels, bad tube picks, how they happen, spotting them, effects on glucose and CBC truth, and ways to stop and fix them promptly.
Causes and recognition of hemolyzed samplesMislabeling risks and prevention methodsWrong tube or additive selection errorsUnderfilling and clotting in EDTA tubesSpecimen rejection criteria for labsCorrective actions and staff retraining
