Which practice is essential for specimens collected with anticoagulants?

Prepare for the CAMLPR Specimen Collection Competency Test. Practice with diverse question sets including multiple-choice and flashcards. Each question includes hints and explanations to help you become proficient before the exam.

Specimens collected with anticoagulants must be gently mixed after collection to distribute the additive evenly throughout the sample. When the additive isn’t distributed, some parts of the blood may clot while others remain unanticoagulated, leading to partial clotting, cell aggregation, or biased test results. Gentle mixing—usually by inverting the tube several times—helps keep cells intact and ensures the anticoagulant acts uniformly, preserving the specimen’s integrity for accurate hematology and chemistry testing.

Leaving the sample unmixed allows clotting to begin and can create uneven distribution of the additive, which skews results. Freezing immediately without mixing can trap cells and additives unevenly, potentially causing cell damage or erroneous analyte measurements. Leaving the sample upright for an extended period before processing also increases the chance of clot formation or separation that alters results.