A nurse is collecting an arterial blood sample for a lactate level.Which action should the nurse plan to ensure that the specimen provides an accurate result?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To obtain an accurate lactate level, the arterial blood sample should be placed on ice and transported to the laboratory immediately to prevent glycolysis from continuing, which leads to falsely elevated lactate levels. Ambulation prior to the procedure, mixing the specimen, or removing oxygen are not necessary for obtaining an accurate lactate level.

A Nurse Is Collecting an Arterial Blood Sample for a Lactate