A Blood Testing is a laboratory analysis done in a certain place like a room or a centre where in various kinds of blood testing is being performed. Aside from this, the facilities are a little bigger than a regular room.



Blood testing are usually done to be able to know the physiological and biochemical composition as well as to determine if there is the presence of a disease and mineral content. Other uses this to know a drug's effectiveness, and organ function. The process of obtaining blood from a patient is done by extracting blood from the veins using a syringe or via finger prick.

Samples of blood can also be extracted from a patient either thru an IV or via the patient's internal vein or artery. Once blood is taken from a patient via his or her internal vein, this would mean that it is a more serious condition because the kind of blood taken would be the one going to different parts of the body and to the heart.

If you notice, some blood samples are taken from the elbow. A tourniquet is then tied all around the arm's upper portion so that the vein is visible enough to be injected for extraction. Afterwards, the tourniquet is loosened until extraction is done.

Hence, make sure the portion of the skin is cleaned before and after the extraction. This is to avoid infections and contamination of the blood on the part where blood will be extracted or was extracted from. After the extraction, press a cotton ball with alcohol on the portion of the skin for one to two minutes and then seal it with plaster.

Just in case the patient's blood was taken from the artery, it is usually being extracted from the wrist. This is more painful as compared to extracting blood from an IV because there are a lot of nerves around the arterial wall. Thus, after this procedure, don't forget to press the cotton ball with an alcohol around the area in order to prevent further bleeding. Hold this for five minutes.

There are some people who are sensitive to seeing blood, especially if it is their blood. As a tip, in case a patient is like this is spotted, ask them to lie down on a bed before doing the procedure. Make sure you know what to do in case the patient faints. Ask for assistance, if necessary.

Why is it necessary to examine our blood?

Our blood contains elements called plasma (fluid) and cells. Cells have three kinds; these are the WBC or what we call white blood cells, RBC or red blood cells and the platelets. To be able to gain knowledge about a person's well being, especially disease, the blood is the best source for this information. Thus, this is why medical personnel will get samples of blood from the patient for some testing, as per the doctor's request.

The medical personnel will then measure the volume of the cells as well as the blood smear. Blood smear can be defined as the film of a blood. This blood smear is will be placed onto a slide and will be viewed and examined using a microscope.

Below is some of the blood testing components which medical personnel observe through a microscope, listed down and interpreted by the physician:

1. Red blood cells- red blood cells (RCB) contain haemoglobin. This haemoglobin carries oxygen to all parts of the body.

? MCV or Mean Corpuscular Volume test ? This is a type of blood test that measures the actual size of your body's red blood cells.

Generally, if a patient experiences dizziness, the person is thought to be suffering anaemia. This would mean that the person's haemoglobin level is below normal content. It is noted that the actual size of the red blood cells would depend on the kind of anaemia the person has.

? Hematocrit - measures the sum volume of red blood cells which was extracted from the blood.

A person with anaemia usually has low hematocrit volume. A high volume of hematocrit may occur if a patient is dehydrated. Example, if the patient is having diarrhoea or dehydration due to surgery.

Take note, if the red blood cells are pale in colour, it may be a sign of iron deficiency. In case your physician notices that your blood cells are irregular in shape, it may be sickle cell type of anaemia.

Lastly, medical personnel also use blood testing as a way to find out if the patient has parasites or malaria. Thus, there is one blood testing type which is called the bacterial test, which is for food poisoning cases.

2. White blood cells (WBC)

Medical personnel like doctors count not only the red blood cells but the white blood cell as well. This process is called differential white blood cells count.

If the count of white blood cells is higher than the red ones, this is an indication of bacterial infection.

Thus, it is also commonly observed that if a person has a high number of white blood cells, it may be a sign of cancer or malaria.

A patient experiencing a so-called auto immune deficiency would pertain to having a low volume of white blood cells. Immunity helps the body fight certain kinds of diseases; therefore, having a deficiency in this immunity would make a person prone to diseases easily. Aside from this, persons with weak immunity are treated and medicated with medicines that will boost the immune system of the body.

Some of the recognized Blood Testing Centres are as follows:

? AUSTRALIA

Royal North Shore Hospital

Laboratory & Community Genetics

Level 5, Main Block

St. Leonards, NSW 2065

(011) 61 29 926-8899

? CANADA

Alberta Children's Hospital

1820 Richmond Rd. SW

Biochem Genetics Laboratory

Room B-307

Calgary, Alberta T2T 5C7

(403) 943-7379

Children's & Women's Health Centre of BC

4480 Oak Street, Rm 2F22

Biochemistry Disease Laboratory

Department of Pathology

Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3V4

(604) 875-7436

Health Sciences Centre

820 Sherbrook Street

Room MS551

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3A 1R9

(204) 787-4530

Hospital for Sick Children

555 University Avenue, Rm 3636

Genetic Metabolic Lab

Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8

(416) 831-6946

Montreal Children's Hospital

2300 Tupper St. Rm A-717

Biochemical Genetics Laboratory

Montreal, Quebec H3H 1P3

(514) 412-4400 extension 22071

Saint Justine Hospital

Room 7711, 7th Floor, Block 7

3715 Cote STE Catherine

Montreal, Quebec H3T 1C5

(514) 345-4931 x 3273

University of Alberta Hospital

Department of Lab Medicine & Pathology

Hereditary Diseases Section

Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2B7

(780) 407-8820

? ISRAEL

Chaim Sheba Medical Centre

Gemetic Institute

Tel Hashomer

Ramal Gan, 52621

(011) 97 23 530-3961

? UNITED KINGDOM

Guy's Hospital

Genetics Centre 5th Floor, Guy's Tower

St. Thomas Street

London, SE1 9RT

(011) 44 207 188-2592

US Blood Testing Centres

Lifesouth Community Blood Centre

205 Marengo St., Florence

Alabama

Manatee Community Blood Centre

216 Manatee Ave., Bradenton

Florida

Coffee Memorial Blood Centre

1915 S. Coulter St.

Arlington, Texas

Carter Bloodcare

2205 Highway 121

Bedford, Texas

Virginia Blood Service

2201 Westwood Ave.,

Richmond, Virginia

New York Blood Centre

310 E 67th St.

New York, New York

UCSF Medical Centre

505 Parnassus Ave.,

San Francisco, California

Sierra Foothills-Blood Source

11960 Heritage Oak P1 #2

Auburn, California

American Red Cross

2025 E St. NW

Washington, DC

University of Southern California

620W 30th St.,

621LA, California