Which of the following information should be included with a non-blood specimen that is delivered to the laboratory?

Choice A Reason:
For blood donation, a 16- to 18-gauge needle is typically used because it is large enough to allow the rapid flow of blood without causing hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells). The larger gauge needle also helps in minimizing the time the donor has to spend during the donation process. Using a needle that is too small could slow down the blood flow and potentially damage the blood cells, which is not ideal for the recipient of the blood donation.

Choice B Reason:
A 19- to 21-gauge needle is commonly used for routine venipuncture but is not ideal for blood donation. These needles are smaller than the 16- to 18-gauge needles and would not facilitate the quick collection of the volume of blood typically required for a donation. They are more suitable for collecting blood samples for testing rather than for donation purposes.

Choice C Reason:
A 22- to 24-gauge needle is even smaller and is often used for patients with smaller veins, such as children or elderly patients. These needles would not be appropriate for blood donation as they could significantly slow the blood flow and increase the donation time, which could be uncomfortable for the donor.

Choice D Reason:
A 25- to 28-gauge needle is the smallest size commonly used in medical practice and is suitable for patients with extremely small or fragile veins. These needles would be impractical for blood donation due to their small size, which would not allow for the efficient flow of blood required for a donation.

Choice A reason:
The light green tube typically contains lithium heparin and is used for plasma determinations in chemistry. It is not suitable for coagulation studies, such as PT, because heparin is an anticoagulant that would interfere with the test results.

Choice B reason:
The lavender tube contains EDTA, which is an anticoagulant that binds calcium. While it is commonly used for complete blood counts (CBC) and other hematology tests, it is not appropriate for coagulation studies because the binding of calcium would affect the clotting process required for a PT test.

Choice C reason:
The royal blue tube can come with different additives or be additive-free, depending on the color of the closure. It is primarily used for trace element testing, toxicology, and nutrient determinations. The additives in a royal blue tube could potentially contaminate the sample and interfere with the PT test.

Choice D reason:
The light blue tube contains sodium citrate, which is the appropriate anticoagulant for coagulation studies like PT. Sodium citrate works by binding calcium in the blood, preventing clotting. The PT test measures the time it takes for a clot to form after re-calcification, making the light blue tube the correct choice for this test.