Quality & Professional Issues Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of running quality control (QC) samples in the laboratory?

Answer: To verify that test systems are producing accurate and reliable results

Quality control samples with known values are run to verify that the analytical system is functioning properly and producing results within acceptable ranges.

A phlebotomist accidentally identifies the wrong patient before a blood draw. Under which category does this error fall?

Answer: Preanalytical error

Patient misidentification is a preanalytical error because it occurs before the specimen is analyzed and is one of the most serious errors in phlebotomy.

Which organization establishes the standards for phlebotomy procedures and order of draw?

Answer: CLSI

CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute) develops voluntary consensus standards for laboratory procedures, including the order of draw and venipuncture techniques.

What does HIPAA require regarding patient information during the phlebotomy process?

Answer: Protected health information must be kept confidential and shared only on a need-to-know basis

HIPAA requires that all protected health information be kept confidential and only disclosed to authorized personnel with a legitimate need.

A phlebotomist notices that their QC result is 2.5 standard deviations above the mean. According to Westgard rules, what action should be taken?

Answer: Reject the run and troubleshoot before testing patients

A QC result exceeding 2 standard deviations strongly suggests a problem, and the run should be rejected and investigated before patient testing resumes.

What is the consequence of failing to maintain proper chain of custody for a forensic blood specimen?

Answer: The test results may be inadmissible in court

If chain of custody is broken, the specimen's integrity cannot be guaranteed, and the results may be deemed inadmissible as evidence in legal proceedings.