Blood Tube Colour Guide: Cheat Sheet

Walking up to a blood trolley and forgetting which tube goes where is a rite of passage for every student nurse. Between additives, order of draw and different Trust policies, it’s a lot to remember under pressure.

This free Bleepbook guide is your "cheat code" for the ward. No dense jargon or pointless waffle just a clear, visual breakdown of the most commonly used UK blood tubes and exactly what they're for.

What’s Inside the Guide?

• UK-Specific Tube Colours: A breakdown of Gold/Yellow, Purple, Blue, Pink and Grey tubes.
• Common Tests & Additives: Understand the difference between EDTA, Citrate and Heparin without the headache.
• Memory Hooks: Simple "vibes" and nicknames for each tube to help the information stick during a busy shift.

Who This Is For

• UK Student Nurses: Perfect for pre-placement prep or OSCE revision.
• Healthcare Assistants & TNAs: A handy reference for those starting out with venepuncture.
• Anyone who freezes when the blood trolley comes out.

Clinical Trust & Standards

This guide focuses on standard UK practice and is aligned with:

• The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures.
• Standard NHS Venepuncture Protocols.

The "Bleepbook" Promise

Nursing is hard enough, your revision shouldn't be. This guide is free because everyone deserves to feel confident when they pick up a vacutainer.

Important Notice:

This guide is for educational purposes and should not replace clinical supervision. Blood tube colours can vary between NHS Trusts. Always verify your local Trust’s "Order of Draw" and lab manual before collecting samples. Ensure your practice aligns with The NMC Code.

Love the visual breakdown? If you're looking to master your clinical skills, check out our Nursing Models & Frameworks Guide—it’s the ultimate survival kit for ABCDE, NEWS2, and ADPIE. It’s there if you need it! 💙