The patient scheduled for a liver biopsy is at risk for hemorrhage during the procedure due to the high vascularity of the organ. In an ideal world, the prothrombin time, complete blood count, blood type and screen, and activated partial thromboplastin time would be sent on the patient. If only one lab can be sent, the nurse chooses prothrombin time. The patient who requires a liver biopsy likely has some degree of liver dysfunction, which can cause a prolonged prothrombin time. Although a CBC would tell the platelet level, which is important, if the prothrombin time is extremely elevated, the number of platelets doesn’t matter. A blood type and screen is important in case the patient needs a blood transfusion; however, if the patient hemorrhages without a type and screen, O negative blood can be administered through emergency protocols. The activated partial thromboplastin time is less important than the prothrombin time in the patient with liver dysfunction.