The Revision Guide for Student Nurses (Part I)
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Troubleshooting Blood Smears - Key Notes

  1. Tails or jags at the tip of the smear
    • Too much pressure applied to the spreader.
    • Edge of spreader damaged.
    • Spreader lifted before end of smear.
    • Spreader pushed too fast.
  2. Square tailed rather than thumb shaped smear
    • Too much time allowed for the blood to flow to the edge of the spreader.
  3. Tail of smear frayed / clumps evident
    • Autoagglutination in the red cells.
    • Platelet clumps.
    • Partial clotting of the red cells.
  4. Smear too short
    • Polycythaemic blood.
    • Spreader angle too great.
    • Spreader pushed too fast.
    • Too little blood.
  5. Smear too long
    • Anaemia.
    • Spreader angle too small.
    • Too much blood.