Specimen Handling, Processing and Transport
Chill, keep warm or shield from light the analytes that need it, separate serum or plasma within 2 hours, and send every specimen closed and leakproof in labeled or triple packaging.
Temperature, light and time
| requirement | how | examples |
|---|---|---|
| Chill | Put the tube straight into an ice-and-water slurry, not large cubes; no direct contact with ice or dry ice (hemolysis). Do not chill whole blood more than 2 hours if potassium is ordered. | Ammonia, lactate, pyruvate, gastrin, homocysteine, renin, parathyroid hormone, catecholamines, ACTH, free fatty acids, acetone, ACE |
| Keep at 37 °C | Pre-warm supplies and keep the tube in a 37 °C water bath until serum is separated. Cold agglutinins: EDTA tube. Cryoglobulins and cryofibrinogen: additive-free tube, serum separated within 1 hour. | Cold agglutinins, cryoglobulins, cryofibrinogen |
| Protect from light | Wrap in foil right after collection and keep it covered until testing. | Bilirubin, carotene, porphyrins, porphobilinogen, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and K1, pyridoxal 5-phosphate, methotrexate; drugs such as amphotericin B, chlorpromazine, chlordiazepoxide, isoniazid, rifampin |
| Separate promptly | Centrifuge and separate serum or plasma from cells as soon as possible, ideally within 2 hours of collection; cells keep using glucose and leak potassium. | Serum and plasma chemistry |
Lists from the Croatian venous recommendations, Table 4. The performing laboratory's test directory always decides, including whether a specimen is refrigerated or frozen; numeric storage ranges for patient specimens are not given here for lack of a reachable primary source.
Preview only. The full sheet also covers: Preparing serum and plasma; Transport and shipping; Urine specimens.
Sources
- Nikolac N, Supak-Smolcic V, Simundic AM, Celap I. Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine: national recommendations for venous blood sampling (based on CLSI H3-A6). Biochem Med 2013;23(3):242-254 (PMC3900082) · Biochemia Medica via PubMed Central
- Chang J, et al. Standards and Practice Guidelines for Venous Blood Collection: Consensus Recommendations from the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine. Ann Lab Med 2025;45(4):343-357 (PMC12187494) · Annals of Laboratory Medicine via PubMed Central
- Nordin N, et al. Preanalytical Errors in Clinical Laboratory Testing at a Glance: Source and Control Measures. Cureus 2024;16(3):e57243 (PMC10981510) · Cureus via PubMed Central
- BD Vacutainer Venous Blood Collection Tube Guide (BD-83178, June 2024; additives, inversion counts, closure colours), manufacturer PDF as distributed to clients by Alverno Laboratories · Becton, Dickinson and Company (copy hosted by Alverno Laboratories)
- OSHA Quick Facts: Laboratory Safety - Centrifuges (OSHA 3406, 8/2011) · Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- 29 CFR 1910.1030 Bloodborne Pathogens · Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- 42 CFR 493.1242 Standard: Specimen submission, handling, and referral · National Archives, eCFR
- 49 CFR 173.199 Category B infectious substances (Oct. 1, 2025 edition) · U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo)
- Pregnancy Test (Medical Test) · U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus)
- Clinical Nursing Skills, 10.1 Urine Specimen (facts only, never wording) · OpenStax (Rice University)
Free Processing practice questions
- Question 1On her first day in a hospital lab, a phlebotomist hears a technologist call a result a "panic value." Which description fits that term?
- Question 2A clinic's example policy calls a POC glucose below 50 mg/dL critical and says to repeat a critical result once before calling. The first result is…
- Question 3While filing a reference lab's printed report, a phlebotomist at a hospital outpatient lab sees she keyed a hemoglobin of 8.1 g/dL into the LIS; the…