AMT RPT key terms

Infection-control practices applied to every patient regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene, gloves, gowns, masks, and safe handling of sharps and body fluids.

Barrier items such as gloves, gowns, masks, eye protection, and face shields worn to prevent contact with blood, body fluids, and infectious materials during collection or handling procedures.

Cleaning hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based rub before and after patient contact, after glove removal, and after touching contaminated items to reduce transmission of microorganisms.

A rigid, puncture-resistant, leakproof container with a closable lid used to dispose of needles, lancets, and other sharp items immediately after use to prevent needlestick injuries.

Microorganisms such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus that can be transmitted through contact with infected blood or other potentially infectious body fluids.

A written workplace program describing how employers protect workers from bloodborne pathogen exposure, including engineering controls, work practice controls, PPE, training, and post-exposure evaluation.

Practices that prevent contamination of supplies, equipment, and collection sites, such as cleaning the skin with an antiseptic, avoiding contact with sterile needle shafts, and using single-use devices.

A temporary loss of consciousness caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate, often triggered by anxiety, pain, or the sight of blood during phlebotomy.

The practice of confirming identity using two independent pieces of information, such as full name and date of birth, before collecting or labeling a specimen to prevent errors.

A patient's voluntary agreement to a procedure after receiving an explanation of its purpose, risks, benefits, and alternatives, given without coercion and documented according to policy.

Whether a patient has abstained from food, drink, or both for a required period before collection, which affects results such as glucose and lipid panels and must be documented.

Qualified translation support used when a patient and phlebotomist do not share a language, ensuring instructions and consent are understood without relying on untrained family members.

Collection of blood from a vein, usually by inserting a needle into the antecubital area, using evacuated tubes, a syringe, or a winged set to obtain venous specimens.

Collection of small blood volumes by puncturing the skin, typically the fingertip or infant heel, to obtain blood for tests that do not require a large venous sample.

A closed collection method in which premeasured vacuum tubes draw blood through a needle and holder, allowing multiple tubes to be filled with minimal handling and contamination risk.

A collection device with a short needle, flexible tubing, and small plastic wings, used for fragile or small veins because it offers greater control and a shallower angle.

A constricting band applied above the puncture site to slow venous return and make veins more visible, usually left in place no longer than one minute before release.

The recommended sequence for filling blood collection tubes so that additive carryover between tubes is minimized and specimen contamination or inaccurate results are avoided.

An increase in blood cell and solute concentration caused by prolonged tourniquet application or fluid shifts, which can falsely elevate some laboratory results.

Backflow of blood or tube additive into the patient's vein, prevented by removing the tourniquet before withdrawing the needle and by following proper tube removal sequence.

A localized collection of blood under the skin caused by blood leaking from a punctured vein, appearing as swelling, pain, and bruising and requiring pressure and cold application.

Breakdown of red blood cells that releases hemoglobin and intracellular contents into the specimen, often caused by rough handling, small needles, or prolonged tourniquet time.

A small sterile device with a sharp point used to make a controlled incision for capillary blood collection, available in different depths for fingers and infant heels.

A collection tube containing a clot activator and thixotropic gel that forms a barrier between serum and cells after centrifugation, simplifying separation for chemistry testing.

Applying patient and specimen information to a container at the point of collection, including identifiers, date, time, and collector, to ensure results are attributed to the correct person.

An order that identifies the patient, requested tests, collection requirements, and clinical information needed to guide specimen collection and processing.

A process that spins a specimen at controlled speed to separate blood components, such as cells from serum or plasma, according to the test's requirements.

A portion of a specimen transferred into a separate labeled container for testing or storage, which must be labeled with the same identifiers as the original sample.

The required temperature range for moving a specimen to the laboratory, such as room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen, which preserves analyte stability and prevents rejection.

Refusal of a sample by the laboratory because it is unlabeled, mislabeled, hemolyzed, clotted, insufficient, or improperly transported, requiring a new collection when possible.

A unique identifier assigned to a specimen when it is received or ordered, used to track testing, results, and storage and to match labels and requisitions.

A specimen ordered for immediate collection and processing because results are urgently needed for patient care, requiring prompt transport and priority handling in the laboratory.

A sample collected at a specified time or interval, such as a drug level or hormone test, requiring accurate documentation of collection time and adherence to the schedule.

A documented, unbroken record of who collected, handled, transported, and stored a specimen, used when results may have legal or employment consequences.

The boundaries of duties a phlebotomy technician is legally and professionally permitted to perform, defined by law, certification, employer policy, and training.

A federal law that protects the privacy and security of individually identifiable health information and sets rules for when and how such information may be shared.

Planned checks performed on equipment, reagents, and processes to confirm they meet defined standards and to detect problems before they affect patient results.

An external assessment in which a laboratory analyzes unknown samples and compares its results with peer laboratories to evaluate testing accuracy and identify improvement needs.

A documented evaluation of a technician's knowledge and skills, such as patient identification, collection technique, and safety practices, performed initially and at required intervals.

A confidential record of an unexpected event, such as a needlestick, syncope, or labeling error, used for risk management and quality improvement rather than punishment.