Minor improvement of venous blood specimen collection practices in primary health care after a large-scale educational intervention.

Author(s): Bölenius K, Söderberg J, Hultdin J, Lindkvist M, Brulin C, Grankvist K

Publication: Clin Chem Lab Med, 2013, Vol. 51, Page 303

PubMed ID: 23096106 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of patient gender and age as well as a phlebotomist educational intervention for VBSC techniques on the hemolysis indices of serum collected at 11 primary health care centers. The educational intervention consisted of studying the national (Swedish) VBSC guidelines and 2 hours of lectures including emphasis on use of stasis and how to store and handle test tubes prior to collection. Serum was transported from the primary health care centers in cooled insulated boxes, at 5-12 degrees C, either once or twice daily, prior to analysis in the laboratory.

   Summary of Findings:

   When data from all 11 primary health care centers was combined, there was a significantly higher percentage of specimens with hemolysis indices equal to or greater than 15 after the educational intervention (11.8%) versus before (10.5%, p=0.022). Interestingly, when the primary health care centers were separated into urban and rural centers, a significant increase in hemolysis was detected for the urban centers, while a significant decrease in hemolysis was detected for the rural centers (both p<0.001). The authors state that specimens from males were significantly more likely to be hemolyzed than specimens from females but that patient age did not influence the rates of hemolysis.

   Biospecimens

   • Bodily Fluid - Serum
   • Bodily Fluid - Blood

   Preservative Types

   • Other Preservative

   Diagnoses:

   • Not specified

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Cell count/volume	Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Biospecimen Acquisition	Method of fluid acquisition	Staff trained/experienced in phlebotomy Staff untrained/inexperienced in phlebotomy
   Storage	Specimen transport duration/condition	Collected at rural site and transported to urban laboratory (>17 km) Collected at urban site and transported to urban laboratory
   Preaquisition	Patient gender	Female Male
   Preaquisition	Patient age	A range of unspecified ages
   Storage	Between site transportation method	Courier

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