Phlebotomy Test Phlebotomy Patient Identification and Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of labeling blood collection tubes at the bedside immediately after collection?
- To meet regulatory billing requirements
- To prevent specimen mislabeling and ensure patient safety (Correct answer)
- To speed up laboratory processing times
- To satisfy insurance auditing rules
Correct answer: To prevent specimen mislabeling and ensure patient safety
Bedside labeling immediately after collection is the most critical step to prevent mislabeling errors, which are a leading cause of transfusion reactions and diagnostic mistakes.
Question 2: When drawing blood from a pediatric patient, which communication approach is most appropriate?
- Speak only to the parent and ignore the child
- Use age-appropriate language and explain what will happen in simple terms (Correct answer)
- Tell the child it will not hurt at all
- Perform the draw as quickly as possible without any explanation
Correct answer: Use age-appropriate language and explain what will happen in simple terms
Age-appropriate communication helps reduce fear and gain cooperation; honest explanations build trust while giving false reassurances can harm the therapeutic relationship.
Question 3: Which minimum information must be on a properly labeled blood specimen tube?
- Patient name, date of birth, and collection date/time (Correct answer)
- Room number and diagnosis
- Nurse name and tube color
- Physician name and insurance number
Correct answer: Patient name, date of birth, and collection date/time
At minimum, a specimen label must include the patient's full name, date of birth (or medical record number), and the date and time of collection to ensure traceability.
Question 4: A patient tells the phlebotomist they have a latex allergy. What should the phlebotomist do?
- Proceed normally as latex is rarely used in blood draws
- Document it but continue with standard equipment
- Switch to latex-free gloves and supplies immediately (Correct answer)
- Decline to perform the draw
Correct answer: Switch to latex-free gloves and supplies immediately
Latex allergies require immediate substitution of all latex-containing equipment (gloves, tourniquets) with latex-free alternatives to prevent potentially life-threatening reactions.
Question 5: What is the correct action when a requisition order and the patient wristband do not match?
- Use the requisition as the authority and proceed
- Draw the specimen and note the discrepancy afterward
- Do not perform the draw; notify the nurse immediately to resolve the discrepancy (Correct answer)
- Ask the patient which name is correct
Correct answer: Do not perform the draw; notify the nurse immediately to resolve the discrepancy
Any discrepancy between the requisition and the wristband must be resolved before specimen collection to prevent wrong-patient errors.
Question 6: How should a phlebotomist handle a patient who is hard of hearing during the identification process?
- Shout louder and repeat the same question
- Write the questions down or use visual communication aids (Correct answer)
- Skip verbal identification and rely on the wristband alone
- Ask a nearby patient to translate
Correct answer: Write the questions down or use visual communication aids
Written communication or other assistive methods ensure accurate patient identification when verbal communication is not effective.
Phlebotomy Test Phlebotomy Patient Identification and Communication 2
What is the primary purpose of labeling blood collection tubes at the bedside immediately after collection?