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Carli Charbonneau

January 22, 2022

Lab overview

There's some things that we can see with our own eyes, but there's so much

more that we can’t see, and so much mind blowing technology to aid us in the process.

When going to the doctors and getting a swab test for an illness or getting labs drawn,

you might not think about where it goes, or what happens to it, but this week I got to see

what happens behind closed doors that the patients do not get to see. I got to see many

parts of the lab, from watching them draw the blood to seeing the blood go through

many machines and also seeing it under a microscope, to seeing the results get sent

out.

So first is fist, why would you get your blood drawn? A typical routine blood test is the

complete blood count, also called CBC, to count your red and white blood cells as well

as measure your hemoglobin levels and other blood components. This test can uncover

anemia, infection, and even cancer of the blood. It's also used to detect early cancers

and other diseases that are life threatening if not treated. Another reason for getting

blood tests is to check to see if your organs, such as the kidneys, liver, thyroid, and heart

are functioning properly. Not only do the tests show if you have a disease, but they can

also detect risk factors for heart disease, and also how well your blood is clotting and

even if medication you're on is working. You should be getting your blood routine tested

about once a year.

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So after you make an appointment, you will go to a blood work lab and a

phlebotomist or doctor will tie a rubber tourniquet around the upper part of your arm

and may ask you to make a fist especially if your veins are not very prominent. This

makes the veins in your arm bulge and stick out so the phlebotomist can easily find a

vein. On the order, there is patient information, and it also says what the order is for,

because there are many different types of tests. So the phlebotomist will check the

order to pick out the tubes. According to Labce.com, light blue tubes are for coagulation

tests, red and gold tops are used for Chemistry, serology, immunology, green is for Stat

and routine chemistry, lavender and pink is for Hematology and blood bank, and gray is

for Glucose (especially when testing will be delayed), blood alcohol, lactic acid. After

filling the tubes. It is important to label the tubes while the patient is in the room so they

can watch you do it to know they are getting an accurate result of their own blood .

Compared to the other things that go on in a lab, drawing the blood is actually the

simple part. Laboratories can do many things, it all depends on what tests your doctor

ordered. According to healthcareassociates.com, “To perform a complete blood count,

a lab technician places your blood sample into a machine that analyzes how your blood

cells respond to light. Then they use this data to help your doctor detect medical

conditions like anemia, tumors, respiratory and circulatory disorders, lymphoma,

allergies, and asthma”. Your blood test may also be placed into a machine called a

centrifuge, which is a machine that spins the blood very fast to force your blood cells to

the bottom of the tube. This leaves your blood serum at the top of the test tube, which

lab technicians can analyze without interference from the cells.

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Healthcareassociates.com also states that “ a centrifuge can help lab technicians

detect substances in the blood that may be affecting your metabolism and organ

function. This blood test method can also measure your hormone levels and detect

markers for serious diseases like cancer”. If they see something unusual, they will re-run

the test or make a blood smear slide and inspect it under a microscope, and come up

with a conclusion that way.

After this process is concluded the lab technician will send the report with results

back to your office to be shared with you. This is a fairly quick and easy process for the

patient, and should be done regularly to prevent a spread of deadly diseases by catching

them early.
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Sources

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Blood tests. National Heart Lung and
Blood Institute. Retrieved January 23, 2022, from
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/blood-tests

Blood collection tubes. Blood Collection Tubes - LabCE.com, Laboratory Continuing Education.
(n.d.). Retrieved January 23, 2022, from
https://www.labce.com/spg263741_blood_collection_tubes.aspx

What happens at a blood lab? Healthcare Associates of Texas. (2021, March 3). Retrieved
January 23, 2022, from https://healthcareassociates.com/what-happens-at-a-blood-lab/