Final answer:
In drawing blood for a blood culture, it is not necessary to use a tourniquet. The recommended tube for blood culture is a yellow tube, not a red marbled tube.
Step-by-step explanation:
In drawing blood for a blood culture, it is not necessary to use a tourniquet. The purpose of a tourniquet is to make the veins more visible and easier to access, but it can cause discomfort and may lead to specimen hemolysis. However, it is important to follow proper hand hygiene and use disinfectant to clean the area before drawing blood.
When drawing blood for a blood culture, the recommended tube to use is a yellow tube with a culture media. This tube is specifically designed for blood culture specimens and contains a broth that supports bacterial growth. A red marbled tube, or a tiger top tube, typically contains a gel separator and is used for serum or chemistry testing, not for blood cultures.
To summarize, when drawing blood for a blood culture, you should not use a tourniquet and you should use a yellow tube with culture media, not a red marbled tube.