Final answer:
To prepare a peripheral blood smear, a phlebotomist should obtain a slide of a Wright stained blood smear, scan the entire slide to identify and count white blood cells, and evaluate the appearance of red blood cells and platelets.
Step-by-step explanation:
When preparing a peripheral blood smear from a patient's capillary blood, a phlebotomist should take the following action:
- Obtain a prepared slide of a Wright stained blood smear
- Using a scanning pattern, scan the entire slide and identify and count each white blood cell
- Perform an initial scan to evaluate the appearance of the red blood cells and platelets, followed by a more detailed analysis of the populations of white blood cells present
These steps are important to accurately observe and analyze the components of the blood smear for diagnostic purposes.