Order of the draw - Phlebotomy

There is a specific order to how a nurse, phlebotomist, or medical professional must draw blood for evaluation. Not following the draw order can cause serious complications for patients and medical staff.

Why the order of the draw is important:

• It potentially lessens discomfort and complications for your patient
• It will cut down on procedure time
• It helps prevent errors in diagnosis caused by cross contamination of additives between blood collection tubes.

Every medical professional must hold themselves to the highest standard, performing his/her duties accurately and honestly. Proper antiseptic techniques MUST be adhered to; If at any time there is an error while drawing blood, the entire procedure will need to be performed again. It is imperative to collect blood (and all bodily fluids) according to current guidelines.

The PDF files referenced below are the order of the draw directly from BD Vacutainers, (one of the leading vacutainer manufacturers in the US) and from Quest diagnostics, a well-known laboratory who specializes in Phlebotomy.

Order of the Draw- BD

Order of the Draw- Quest Diagnostics

You will notice that while they are produced by different authorities on the subject, the draw order remains almost completely the same.

The draw order is always the same unless specified by the laboratory or Physician.

In this article we went over the correct Order of the Draw and were able to go into some detail about proper procedure. The importance of drawing blood correctly relates directly to patient health and well-being. Take the time to educate yourself on all standards and practices. Medical information is updated every day due to new discoveries and inventions.

Do your research and be diligent about safety!