Blood, Anemia, Leukemia, and Blood Tests
Interprofessional Collaboration: the Journey a Blood Test Takes in LifeLabs
Jennifer Kong and Emily Frawley
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Describe how a blood sample is taken from a patient, prepared and delivered to LifeLabs for specialty laboratory testing service
- Trace the steps a hematology blood sample takes upon receipt of sample to microscopic analysis by a hematopathologist
- Trace the steps a plasma chemistry sample takes upon receipt of sample, reporting of results, and eventual disposal.
It takes many health care professionals to help a client navigate through their health journey. Blood tests will play a major component in determining a patient’s diagnosis and monitoring their health while on treatment.
Watch the process of how blood tests are collected, tested, interpreted and reported in BC at the LifeLabs facility in Burnaby BC.
Blood collection & receipt
Blood collection recorded at BCIT campus by Lindsay Belloc, Heather McMullen, Emily Frawley, & Jennifer Kong. Videotour of LifeLabs facility in Burnaby BC conducted by Lindsay Belloc, Emily Frawley, & Jennifer Kong. Narration by Riley Belloc. Licensed under All Rights Reserved
Blood tests: Hematology
Videotour of LifeLabs facility in Burnaby BC conducted by Lindsay Belloc, Emily Frawley, & Jennifer Kong. Licensed under All Rights Reserved
Blood tests: Chemistry
Videotour of LifeLabs facility in Burnaby BC conducted by Lindsay Belloc, Emily Frawley, & Jennifer Kong. Licensed under All Rights Reserved
For two common blood tests (hematology and chemistry), blood is collected from the patient in tubes with colour coded tops that designate the type of blood test. In the case of the chemistry test, the blood has to be spun down to separate the plasma/serum from the blood cells.
The blood vials are delivered to Lifelabs, the largest specialty laboratory testing facility in Western Canada. The blood vials are registered (accessioned) and sent to the respective testing area within Lifelabs.
Chemistry tests are examined in the chemistry analzyer machine which measures components in the plasma/serum such as electrolytes (e.g. Na+, K+), nutrients (e.g. glucose), enzymes (e.g. liver function test) and much more – depending on the tests requisitioned for the patient. After the test results are obtained and sent electronically to the health care provider, the blood tubes are refrigerated and stored for up to 7 days in the likelihood that the provider would like further testing and avoiding the patient having to give blood again.
Hematology tests are examined by the hematology analyzer which can separate and calculate the different types and number of blood cells/formed elements based on their size. If a sample yields an abnormal result, it is diverted to have a peripheral blood smear prepared for microscopic analysis. A MLT will first look at the peripheral blood smear and determine whether it needs further analysis by the hematopathologist. Using special computer analysis and personal viewing of the blood cells, the hematopathologist can determine whether urgent communication of these results to the patient and health care provider are needed.
