Final answer:
A phlebotomist operates within the patient's personal zone of interpersonal space during blood collection. If blood agglutinates with both anti-A and anti-B antibodies, the patient's blood type is AB.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a phlebotomist collects blood, they are operating within the patient's personal zone of interpersonal space. This zone extends from 1.5 to 4 feet around the individual and is the space into which a healthcare provider may enter for activities such as blood draws or physical examinations. In the scenario described where a phlebotomist performs venipuncture or a capillary stick, they need to be close enough to accurately access the vein or capillary bed and therefore must enter this personal space with the patient's consent.
Furthermore, if we consider the case where the blood sample visibly agglutinates with both anti-A and anti-B antibodies, the normal response indicates that the patient's blood type is AB. In blood typing tests, the presence of agglutination after adding antibodies corresponds with the antigens present in the blood; thus, agglutination with anti-A and anti-B indicates both A and B antigens, defining type AB blood.