Consolidated Political Compass Test (CPCT) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CPCT Practice Questions and Assessment Guide

Vigorous inversion of collection tubes is known to cause hemolysis because it can disrupt the integrity of red blood cells. During the collection and handling of blood samples, gentle mixing is typically recommended to avoid damaging the cells. When blood is inverted too forcefully, it increases the shear stress on the red blood cells, leading to their rupture, which results in hemolysis. This process releases hemoglobin and other intracellular components into the plasma, potentially affecting the accuracy of subsequent laboratory tests.

The other options, while they may have their own implications for blood sample handling, do not specifically lead to hemolysis in the same direct manner. For instance, using a centrifuge is a standard process for separating components of blood and does not inherently cause hemolysis unless done incorrectly. Letting blood sit at room temperature can affect cell viability and stability, but is less likely to cause immediate hemolysis compared to vigorous mixing. The choice of needle gauge can influence blood collection ease and venous trauma, but a smaller gauge itself is not a direct cause of hemolysis when done carefully.