CSC CSC Specimen Handling & Transportation

Question 1

How long can a urine specimen remain at room temperature before it must be refrigerated or tested?

Accepted Answer

4 hours

Answer

Urine specimens must be refrigerated or tested within 4 hours to prevent degradation of analytes.

Question 2

What temperature range is required for refrigerated storage of urine specimens awaiting analysis?

Accepted Answer

2–8°C

Answer

Refrigerated storage at 2–8°C maintains specimen integrity without freezing and lysing cells.

Question 3

Which packaging requirement is mandatory for shipping urine specimens under DOT guidelines?

Accepted Answer

Tamper-evident sealed container

Answer

DOT requires tamper-evident containers to protect chain of custody and specimen integrity during transport.

Question 4

What action must a collector take if a specimen seal is found broken upon arrival at the laboratory?

Accepted Answer

Reject and document the specimen as compromised

Answer

A broken seal compromises chain of custody, so the specimen must be rejected and the event documented.

Question 5

To prevent hemolysis during blood specimen transport, the collector should:

Accepted Answer

Keep the tube upright and avoid agitation

Answer

Keeping tubes upright and minimizing agitation prevents red blood cell rupture (hemolysis), which can alter test results.

(CSC) Certified Specimen Collector Practice Test