Which practice most improves ABG result accuracy?

• A. Analyzing the sample within 15-30 minutes of collection
• B. Delaying analysis until the next day
• C. Storing at room temperature for several hours
• D. Exposing to air during transport

Answer: (A)

Prompt analysis preserves the patient’s true blood gas status because once the sample is drawn, cellular metabolism and gas exchange with the environment can still alter pH and gas tensions. Analyzing within 15–30 minutes minimizes these changes, so the pH, PCO2, and PO2 stay closest to what they were in the arterial blood at the moment of collection. Delays allow ongoing metabolism to shift CO2 and hydrogen ion levels, and exposing the sample to air during transport or storing it at room temperature accelerates these drift processes, producing results that don’t accurately reflect the patient’s in vivo values.