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1 CE HOURClinical Medical Assisting

Minimizing Pre-Analytical Variability in Lab Samples

Outline:
  • Pre-analytical errors overview
    • Patient identification
      • Misdiagnosis
      • Inappropriate treatment decisions
      • Potential harm to patients
    • Collection Medium
      • Blood tube additives
      • Transport media
    • Collection time
      • Documentation time
      • TDM collections
      • First morning void
    • Patient-led Pre-analytical Errors
      • Dehydration
      • Medication and supplements
      • Inadequate fasting
    • Requisitions/Orders
      • Illegible writing 
      • Verbal orders
      • Incomplete requisition
    • Contamination
      • Order of draw
      • Urine collection contamination
    • Specimen Quantity
      • QNS
  • Venipuncture Collected Specimens
    • Duration of tourniquet use
    • Order of draw
    • Tube inversion
    • Hemolysis 
    • Centrifugation
  • Urine Specimen Collection
    • Collection method
      • Random collection
      • Clean Catch midstream collection
      • Morning Collection
      • 24 hour collection
      • Postprandial collection
    • Storage and Handling
  • Post Specimen Collection and Sample Processing Errors
    • Processing Windows
    • Reagents
      • Incorrect reagent choice
      • Expired reagent
      • Incorrectly stored reagent
      • Lot to lot variations
    • Testing Equipment
    • Calculation and Input
      • Dilution errors
      • Decimal errors
      • Calibration calculation errors
      • Patient charting errors
  • Measures to Reduce Pre-Analytical Variability
    • Harmonization and Standard Guidelines
    • Quality Monitoring
    • Education and Training
    • Hemolyzed, Icteric and Lipemic (HIL) Index

Accreditation Numbers

  • 586-4221-26