Okay, so first let's start with the
white blood cells. We're going to look
at some general information and the role
of the cell. We already know that the
white cells fight infection, right? But
it's when attacking bacteria, viruses,
and germs invade your body, these are
the cells that respond. They live about
13 to 20 days, so just short of two
about two to three weeks. And they're
destroyed in the lymphatic system. Okay?
So the white cells, they're the ones
that respond when our body is attacked.
and they live about 13 to 20 days and
they're destroyed in the lymphatic
system. Now, the red blood cells,
remember, they're the ones that carry
the protein hemoglobin. That's what
binds to oxygen. So, the job of the red
blood cells is to carry oxygen to the
tissues and CO2 to the lungs to be
exhaled. So, they're just transporters.
That's what's flowing around in your
bloodstream that goes to your lungs,
picks up the oxygen, dumps off the CO2,
delivers oxygen to your tissues, picks
up the CO2, brings it back to the lungs.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. Right now, they
remain the bone marrow and they last
about 120 days. Okay? Anytime you get
this much information in something, look
at the things that are the same or are
different. White blood cells, make
yourself a note, they fight off attack.
Red blood cells carry oxygen. White
blood cells live 13 to 20 days. Red
blood cells live 120 days. Now platelets
are about 20% of the diameter of a red
blood cell. That is amazing to me. And
they are super tiny. Their principal
function is to prevent bleeding. Okay.
So the job of a platelet is to clump
together to make a clot and to kind of
put a plug in the hole where your body
is leaking blood. They live about 8 to
nine days. So, let's look at lifespan.
Who has the shortest lifespan? Right,
platelets, 8 to nine days. Who has the
longest blood lifespan? Right, red blood
cells. And then we've got the white
blood cells in between. So, you might
make yourself a quick note. Number them
one, two, and three as far who has the
shortest to the longest and your notes
to help you remember that point before
we move on.
Okay. Now, what color tube should we use
for a CBC? Now, you may be in an area
where you're responsible for drawing the
lab work, or you may have a phabotamist
come from lab and draw the lab work for
you. But these are all the options that
you can use to draw blood.
Okay. So, what's your guess? Maybe you
know, maybe you're just going to pick a
color, but pick one before we move on.
Okay? Did you get it right? It's the
purple top tube. So, that's the color
tube we should use for a CBC. The reason
these tubes all have different colors is
that they have different additives and
things in them that help the lab perform
the test. So, it's really important that
you put the blood sample in the correct
color tube. Now, I always get asked, can
you draw blood above an IV site for a
lab test? Well, it's a great question,
but no is the best answer if it can be
avoided. Don't use an arm with an IV if
you can possibly avoid doing that
because the IV may affect the lab
results depending on what's in the IV,
how much fluid, etc. So, if you're
asking if you can draw blood above an IV
site, try not to if you can avoid it.
Try using an arm that doesn't have an
IV. But if you don't have any other
choice, then try and draw it from below
the IV site. So if your IV is up here in
the anticubital, try and draw your blood
from below that site.
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