Title: Explain the order of the draw for tubes.
Course: Patient Care Technician (14051-III) > Section: Understanding Phlebotomy and Related Procedures

Explanation should include the following as Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) lists the order of draw:

- Blood culture tube
- Coagulation tube (e.g., blue closure)
- Serum tube with or without clot activator and with or without gel (e.g., red closure)
- Heparin tube with or without gel plasma separator (e.g., green closure)
- Edetate disodium (EDTA) tube with or without gel separator (e.g., lavender closure, pearl closure)
- Glycolytic inhibitor (e.g., gray closure)

Process/Skill Questions:

- What color tube is drawn first?
- Why is the order of the draw so important?
- Why do blood culture collections need to be drawn first?