Question

A medical assistant has completed a blood collection, which of the following actions should the assistant take to ensure proper specimen processing?

1) Label the specimen with the patient's identifying information
2) Place the specimen in a glass container
3) Keep the specimen at room temperature for 24 hours
4) Leave the specimen uncovered

Answer 1

When a blood sample is collected in a glass tube, the blood starts clotting and separates into serum and other components. The blood may also experience changes in temperature and pH.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a blood sample is collected in a glass tube, several things happen during the hour that it is in the tube. Firstly, the blood begins to clot as it comes into contact with the glass surface, activating the coagulation cascade. This clotting process leads to the separation of serum from the rest of the blood components. Additionally, the blood may undergo some changes in temperature and pH due to exposure to the environment inside the glass tube.