Specimen Collection Equipment, Specimen Collection Devices, Specimen Collection Tubes

Specimen collection equipment can be broadly categorised into broad sections. They are the capturing equipment and the transport containers. Some of the following equipment that form part of the specimen collection equipment are discussed here.

Before any discussion is made of specimen collection devices it would be good to understand what is specimen collection.

Most of the times specimen collection is used in the context of diagnostic or clinical laboratories. So it may refer to the process or technique of taking, tissue, fluids, blood, stool, bone marrow, urine, biopsy material or any other specimen in an appropriate container like specimen collection tubes, for immediate research or storing them frozen for future research. Specimens can be collected by two ways either straight from the subject like blood collection or from a large piece of tissue for example as removed during the process of surgical resection.

These days a variety of specimen collection equipment can be found that has been designed with the comfort of the patient in mind. The importance of specimen collection equipment can be gauged from the fact that it plays a vital role on the quality of the laboratory results. A successful specimen collection programme depends upon the following things.

Collection at the appropriate time
Applying the correct technique
Using the correct equipment
Safe transportation to the lab without any delay

Safety in Specimen Collection

The precision of any lab or clinical test depends on the quality of the specimen collected. To collect and carry the purity of samples from the origin to the lab, the lab personnel has to confront with a lot of hazardous samples and materials. In order to ensure the safety of the healthcare of presonnel, the following precautions must be followed:

Use high quality specimen collection tubes for collecting samples.
Wear laboratory gloves, coat and appropriate mask or goggles during specimen collection
Never use leaked containers. Always use leak-proof containers that have a separate outside compartment for the test requisition form like plastic zip-lock.
Transporting leaked conatiners will be dangerous for the courier and laboratory personnel and the test results will be compromised too.
Ensure that screw-cap lids are closed securely.
Don't contaminate the outside of the sample container or the laboratory requisition form for the safety of others.