Sample Acceptance Criteria

Immediately after the sample has been taken, its label must be hand-written, legibly and accurately in ball point pen to avoid smudging, by the person taking the blood at the site of collection. The sample tubes should never be pre-labelled.

Please note: addressograph labels MUST NOT be used to label the sample.

All samples MUST be labelled with the following information:

Full Name - Surname and First name (click here if the patient is unknown)
Patient Identification number (Please note that if a Hospital Unit Number is present this must be given priority)
Date of Birth
Ward/Location
Gender
Date and Time of sample collection
Signature of person taking the specimen
“High Risk” sticker if appropriate

Sample requirements

Full details of sample requirements are listed on the reverse of NHSBT request forms. Please contact the Laboratory if none are available or advice is required.

Test required	Sample required	Sample bottle
Group and Screen (Adult)	4.9ml of EDTA blood	Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top)
Group and Screen (Adult) - Antibodies Present	2x 4.9ml of EDTA blood	2x Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top)
Group and DAT (Baby)	0.5ml of EDTA blood (Minimum)	Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top)
Group and Screen + Crossmatch	4.9ml of EDTA blood	Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top)
Kleihauer (During Pregnancy)	1x 4.9ml of EDTA blood (Blue Top) AND 1x 4.0mL of EDTA blood (Red Top)	1x Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top) 1x Full Blood Count Tube (Red Top)
Kleihauer (At Delivery)	Maternal Samples 1x 4.9ml of EDTA blood (Blue Top) AND 1x 4.0mL of EDTA blood (Red Top) Baby Sample A minimum of 0.5ml EDTA blood/cord blood	1x Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top) 1x Full Blood Count Tube (Red Top) 1x Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top)
Fetal Rh D Screening Test	1x 7.5ml of EDTA blood	1x Blood Transfusion Tube (7.5ml capacity - Blue Top)
Direct Antiglobulin Test	A minimum of 0.5ml EDTA blood	Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top)
Crossmatch for patient with antibodies or Positive DAT	2x 4.9ml of EDTA blood	2x Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top)
Cold Agglutinins	2x 4.9ml of EDTA blood Please note: Samples must be kept warm and taken immediatley to Blood Bank. The sample must be kept at 37ºC until it is separated.	2x Blood Transfusion Tube (Blue Top)
Crossmatch for patient with No Transfusion History	1x 4.9ml of EDTA blood AND 1x 4.9mL of EDTA 'CHECK GROUP' Please see web page - 2 sample rule	1x 4.9ml of EDTA (Blue Top) 1x 4.9ml EDTA 'CHECK GROUP' (Blue Top Check Group) ONLY AVAILABLE FROM BLOOD BANK
Other NHSBT referral Tests	Please contact Blood Transfusion laboratory for advice	Please contact Blood Transfusion laboratory for advice

Suitably trained and competency assessed phlebotomists, healthcare assistants, nursing and medical staff may collect samples for pre-transfusion testing. However, they must comply fully with appropriate Trust policies which are included in the ‘Trust Phlebotomy Training Package’. A copy of this policy is also given to all staff completing the course. Inadequate patient identification or sample labelling may lead to fatal ABO incompatible transfusions.

All staff responsible for pre-transfusion sample collection must undergo additional reassessments, recorded yearly.

The sample required is 4.9mls of blood in a blue EDTA Sarstedt Blood Transfusion bottle (NHS supply number KCM 131). Minimum blood required for processing is 2ml. Paediatric samples must also be collected in the same tube, a minimum of 0.5 ml is required.

Inadequate, clotted and haemolysed samples will not be tested as they prevent accurate interpretation of results. Also, blood specimens must NOT be obtained from the tubing of an IV set or from a vein, in which an IV solution is flowing.

This webpage was reviewed and updated by Mark Taplin, Blood Transfusion Manager, 22nd February 2024