Specimen Requirements

Draw blood in a lavender-top (EDTA) tube(s), and send 1 mL of EDTA whole blood. If there is a delay in transport of >8 hours, make 4 to 5 blood smears within 2 hours of draw. Forward promptly at ambient temperature. Label slides with patient’s full name (first and last) and date and time of collection.
Note: If specimen will not arrive at St. Luke’s Hospital Laboratory the same day as drawn, refrigerate specimen. Transport at ambient temperature. Do not place EDTA whole blood directly on top of an ice pack. Stored at 2 – 8 C, EDTA blood samples with normal results may be analyzed up to 48 hours without significant loss of differential stability; Retic stability 48 hours. Sample stability at room temperature is 24 hours.  Samples stored at room temperature may exhibit an increase in MCV after 24 hours, which may be minimized by refrigeration.