Facts about Phlebotomy Trivia Quiz

Answer: saliva

The four humors of the body are black bile, yellow bile, blood, and phlegm and it is a concept originally developed by the Greek physician Hippocrates. The blood/brain were linked with earth, phlegm/lungs linked with air, black bile/spleen linked with fire, and gall bladder/yellow bile linked with water.

It was believed that illness was caused because the four humors were unbalanced.

Answer: leech

Leeches which were often used in the 19th century in many places throughout the world. They are still being used in medical plans of care today, albeit in more controlled ways.

Answer: True

Some barbers used to be phlebotomists who could cut your hair and cut a vein for bloodletting at the same time. The pole looked like the stick that clients would hold onto in lieu of a tourniquet and the red/white colors of the pole would literally signify blood and bandages.

Answer: Anchor the vein

Venipuncture is the act of puncturing a vein for medical purposes, while phlebotomy is specific to single-use blood specimens. Anchoring the vein underneath the venipuncture point is when the phlebotomist holds an arm and places a digit, usually the thumb, below the venipuncture point.

The purpose is to hold the vein in place or 'anchor' it to prevent the needle from slipping to the side of the vein instead of into the vein itself. It also helps make the process less painful.

Answer: Jugular vein

The only person who should ever be drawing blood from the jugular vein is a veterinarian working with a dog. The elbow pit area is also referred to as the antecubital fossa and it is where this collection of veins can be found. Of the three, the median cubital vein is most commonly used by phlebotomists.

While the basilic vein is a major vein, the cephalic and median cubital are superficial veins. The median cubital vein is often chosen for blood draws because it is larger and more stable, making it less painful and less likely for the vein to roll during puncture.

Answer: it does not contain antigens

Type O positive is the most common blood type, while the rarest blood type is AB negative. Antigens are substances in your blood that cause your immune system to fight off anything it doesn't recognize. Type O is considered the healthiest blood type because people with Type O are at less risk of heart attacks and blood clots in their legs and lungs.

Answer: small veins

The gauge (G) of needles used for phlebotomy is generally 21, 23, or 25 G. A 21 G is commonly used for venipuncture and blood draw, but a 25 G needle is most often used when drawing blood from children and people with small veins. The reason they use a higher gauge, a smaller needle, is because it produces a smaller puncture wound, making it less likely to cause bleeding, less painful for the patient, and visually less threatening.

Answer: remove the tourniquet and then the needle

The tourniquet is released before the needle is removed to prevent the creation of a bruise and reduce bleeding at the point where the blood was drawn. Due to the constriction involved in using a tourniquet it is important that it not be left on for too long because it can cause permanent damage such as permanent tissue discoloration or scarring.

Answer: True

Each collection tube has additives in it, such as clot activators or anti-coagulants. The Order of Draw is designed to prevent cross-contamination of those additives between the different blood collection tubes. The order in which they need to be drawn can be distinguished by the color of the tube's top, as well as the order they sit in the tube holder.

Answer: Ventricular sampling

Ventricle samples are taken by syringes for collecting samples from a ventricle, but not for blood specimens. Arterial sampling is most often used in hospitals when blood is being drawn from an artery, rather than a vein. This is often done to measure the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.

This method of blood draw is often not preferred by patients due to the pain and anxiety it will generally cause, as the needle must travel deeper to hit an artery than it would for a vein. Fingerstick sampling is, as its name indicates, where a small amount, or micro sample, of blood is extracted from the fingertip.