A phlebotomist is collecting a sample for potassium by fingerstick on an adult patient. The patient's hands are callused and the phlebotomist experiences difficulty in obtaining enough sample. One possible effect of this difficulty is:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Excessive squeezing and tissue fluid in the sample may affect the potassium result. Callused hands may make it difficult to obtain enough sample, leading to the phlebotomist squeezing the puncture site too hard, causing tissue fluid to mix with the blood and dilute the potassium concentration. This can result in an inaccurate potassium result.

A Phlebotomist Is Collecting a Sample for Potassium by Fingerstick