Is anyone a phlebotomist or have experience of taking blood samples?

[DrCoconut]

I have a question about a recent blood test. It's procedural rather than interpretation of results.

I have taken lots of blood samples, what is your question ?

Me too. What do you want to know?

Taking blood for 25 years... what is it?

Ok, a couple of days ago I had a blood test done for vit B6. I was sent to the hospital as apparently the sample must be protected from light and the GP's surgery can't do that? I'm not the best with needles so just let them get on with it and left but with hindsight there was nothing done that looked to me, as the patient, like protecting the sample. It wasn't wrapped or put in anywhere, at least before I left. Is it a special bottle or something or ought I to be concerned? The phlebotomist seemed surprised that the GP had sent me rather than have the practice nurse do it. Surely the pathology department would get it right? Sorry if this sounds absurd but I'm in the middle of an ongoing investigation health wise, this was my third flood draw in two weeks and I'm generally quite anxious at the moment.

Blood not flood 😆

It’s not a routine sample to take in general practice, it’s usually done after a talk with the biochemist.
GP probably sent you to the hospital to err on the side of caution to ensure it was processed correctly.

So I don't need to worry that the process of collection didn't seem different? I may have hypophosphatasia and I'm worried.

I've never ever taken a blood sample for vitamin B6. But some samples have to be processed in the lab in a certain timeframe so maybe that's why it was done at the hospital.

Is a B6 test that rare? Bloody hell. I guess I was expecting a dark tube or it to be wrapped or something as I was told the reason for going to hospital was to protect the sample adequately from light.

Just had a call from pathology asking for it to be done again due to an error. Looks like my gut instinct was correct.

We used to do it on tiny babies. I found this on the web;
www.southtees.nhs.uk/services/pathology/tests/vitamin-b6/

I'm not surprised they messed it up tbh. NHS ineptitude as per

Thankyou everyone for your input. I just want all this to be over now.