Final answer:
The ABG sample must be run within 15 minutes of collection. The 4 primary ABG tests are pH, PaO2, PaCO2, and HCO3. For blood typing, visible agglutination with both anti-A and anti-B antibodies indicates an AB blood type.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) test is a critical procedure in medical analysis that must be performed with precision. a) The ABG sample must be run within 15 minutes of collection to ensure the accuracy of test results. b) There are 4 primary tests performed on arterial samples: pH, partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), and bicarbonate (HCO3). c) It is imperative that when drawing an ABG, nothing else take place between the collection and the testing to prevent alteration of the sample. The phlebotomist must collect the sample following all correct procedures, place it on ice (if needed to delay metabolism by the cells in the blood), and get it straight to the lab.
When a blood sample is collected in a glass tube and left to sit, several processes take place. Over about an hour, the blood clots, and the liquid portion called serum separates from the clot. The serum, which is the fluid part of the blood after the removal of fibrin clot and blood cells, is then harvested for further blood analysis.
For blood typing during pre-surgery preparations, if a technician adds anti-A and anti-B antibodies to separate wells containing the patient's blood and observes agglutination in both wells, this indicates that the patient has AB blood type. This is a normal result for individuals with AB blood type because their red blood cells have both A and B antigens on their surfaces.
In critical emergency situations where there is no time for blood typing, such as following a motor vehicle accident with severe bleeding, O negative blood is typically transfused because it is considered the universal donor and is likely to be compatible with any blood type.