Practice Quiz

CPCT/A Patient Care Exam Test Prep

Category - Phlebotomy

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Phil has been notified that yet another of his finger sticks has been rejected by the lab. The lab tech tells him, “Dude, quit milking so much!” Phil is not sure what that means. Can you tell Phil what is causing rejection of his capillary collections from finger puncture?
  1. Phil, you are squeezing too hard and pulling the fingers toward the fingertip. It causes hemolysis and tissue fluid to be squeezed into the blood.
  2. Phil, you are scooping the blood with the capillary collection device, instead of letting it fill on its own. It’s causing hemolysis.
  3. Phil my man, don’t pester the lab techs so much; lay low and they will quit picking on your specimens.
Explanation
Answer: A - Milking is a term used to describe a squeezing and pulling action used with a finger puncture. Inexperienced techs may try this, in an attempt to collect a specimen. The milking action causes fluid normally found in the soft tissue of the fingertip to be squeezed out into the blood. It can also cause hemolysis. Fluid from soft tissue and ruptured blood cells can skew test results, in which case the lab will request another draw, and the tech’s rejection rate will increase.
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