Title: Respond to complications of phlebotomy.
Course: Patient Care Technician (14051-III) > Section: Understanding Phlebotomy and Related Procedures

Response should include

- identifying potential problems (e.g., hematoma, excessive bleeding)
- taking corrective actions for problems with test requests, specimen transport, or specimen processing
- anticipating pre-analytical errors and complications
- assisting other healthcare professionals with blood culture collections
- collecting laboratory specimens per facility policy (e.g., urine, stool, culture swabs)
- handling laboratory specimens per facility policy (e.g., preservatives, light sensitivity, temperature).

Process/Skill Questions:

- How long should a tourniquet be left on a patient/client?
- How many venipuncture attempts are allowed?
- What would be a reason for the lab to reject a specimen?
- What actions should a PCT take to avoid a hematoma or excessive bleeding?
- What are common problems when obtaining lab specimens?