Phil the New Phlebotomy Tech is in the lab. A specimen he drew earlier for a serum study appears to have pink-colored serum. He is not sure what may have caused this, and is concerned he may have done something wrong. What does pink-colored serum indicate?
Explanation
Answer: C - Pink colored serum indicates that red blood cells have been ruptured (hemolysis). It may be clinically significant for some conditions or diseases, but it is usually considered to be caused by improper phlebotomy technique. Hemolysis can cause false increases in several blood tests. Some causes of hemolysis include shaking collection tubes (instead of gently inverting them), pulling up too hard on the plunger of a syringe when performing a syringe draw, forcing blood out of a syringe too quickly, using a gauge needle that is too small, and excessive probing with a needle.
