Question

A phlebotomy technician is collecting capillary blood drops on a filter paper card to screen a newborn for phenylketonuria. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. apply blood to the printed side of the filter paper
B. add a second drop of blood if a circle is not full
C. touch the puncture site to the filter paper
D. allow the blood spots to dry for a minimum of 2hrs

Answer 1

Apply blood to the printed side of the filter paper, add more blood if the circle is not full, do not allow the puncture site to touch the paper, and allow the blood spots to dry for at least 4 hours.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a phlebotomy technician is collecting capillary blood drops on a filter paper card to screen a newborn for phenylketonuria, they should apply blood to the printed side of the filter paper. The technician must ensure that enough blood fills each circle on the card without over-saturating it. If a circle is not full, they should add another drop of blood to it. Importantly, the puncture site should not touch the filter paper directly to avoid contamination. Once the blood spots are applied, they need to be allowed to dry for a minimum of 4 hours—not merely 2 hours—in a horizontal position and protected from contact, direct sunlight, and high humidity to ensure proper preservation of the sample for accurate testing.