There are quite a few special circumstances that phlebotomists need to take into consideration when collecting a specimen because not every specimen is treated the same. Such as the bilirubin test for example; “When obtaining the specimen for this testing, it is important for the phlebotomist to recognize the effect of light on the specimen” (LabCE, 2017, para 1). Light can greatly impact the results of the test and could cause a lower bilirubin level than what is actually present in the patient; so in order to maintain accuracy it is important that you try and keep the specimen away from as much light as possible. Phlebotomists can achieve this by either capturing the specimen in a dark color amber container or wrap the test tube in foil.
