CAP and Blood Volumes Drawn

[SBriggs]

I am looking for some input regarding CAP regulations and the volume of blood collected from patients.

CAP wants labs to reduce the amount of blood drawn from patients. My laboratory is doing away with collecting "just in case" or "extra" tubes of blood drawn. We are only collecting what is ordered. We are also reducing the tube size in a lot of cases.

For those of you using Ortho Gel Technology, what specimen(s) do you have drawn when a type and crossmatch is done?

[tbostock]

We use a 6 mL pink top tube. Usually this is plenty, if we need more sample (to send to a reference lab for example) we have another sample drawn, but this is pretty rare.

[Deny Morlino]

4.5 ml EDTA tube is normally enough for testing. Same as Terri if reference lab referral is necessary.

[David Saikin]

I use 4 mL EDTA but have the 6 mL on hand JIC.

[khalidm3]

4.5 ml EDTA tube, sufficient

[MAGNUM]

I have a 6 ml Pink top drawn and if we need more, we revisit the patient.

[Likewine99]

6 mL pink top, same as Terri. This has always been plenty of sample for inhouse testing. If we have to send it out we draw what the reference lab requests.

Reducing tube sizes should make CAP happy.

[SBriggs]

Thanks for posting. Sometimes it helps to know what others are doing.