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1 CE HOURClinical Medical Assisting

Forensic Chain of Custody for the Medical Assistant- Phlebotomy & Specimen Collection Focus

Key Terms
  1. Chain of Custody
  2. Implied Consent
  3. Informed Consent 
  4. Judicial Consent
  5. Forensic Blood Draw
  6. Evidentiary Sample
  7. Genetic Privacy
  8. Legal Liability

Outline:
  • Introduction
  • Phlebotomist’s Responsibility in Forensic Draws
    • Impartiality and neutrality
    •  Accuracy in collection, labeling, and documentation
    •  Evidence credibility in court
  •  Critical Errors & Their Consequences
    • Mislabeled samples
    •  Missing signatures or incomplete custody forms
    •  Compromised chain of custody
    •  Ethical violations of patient rights
  •  Legal Foundations
    • Implied consent laws
    •  Warrants for blood draws
    •  HIPAA exceptions in forensic cases
  •  Step-by-Step Protocol
    • Verify
      • Warrant, consent, court order
    •  Identify 
      • Confirm patient identity (2 valid forms)
    •  Document 
      • Date, time, case reference, phlebotomist ID
    •  Collect 
      • Proper equipment, non-alcohol skin prep, gray-top tubes
    •  Label 
      • Full name, DOB, time, initials
    •  Seal & Sign
      • Tamper-proof seals, chain-of-custody forms completed
    •  Transfer 
      • Secure transport, every handoff documented
  •  Mobile Forensic Phlebotomy
    • Role and settings (jails, checkpoints, mobile units)
    •  Benefits (faster evidence, stronger custody)
    •  Challenges (safety, neutrality, quality control)
    •  Law enforcement phlebotomy programs
  •  Genetic Testing & DNA Collection
    • Difference between toxicology (what’s in the blood) and DNA (who it belongs to)
    •  DNA sources: blood, buccal swabs, hair, tissue
    •  Collection standards: PPE, sterile technique, sealing, custody
    •  Legal/ethical safeguards: HIPAA, GINA, informed consent
  •  Phlebotomist’s Role in DNA/Genetic Testing
    • Consent verification
    •  Proper collection (blood, swabs)
    •  Labeling, sealing, and custody documentation
    •  Maintaining neutrality and privacy
  •  Professionalism & Safety
    • PPE and biohazard disposal
    •  Neutrality in law enforcement settings
    •  Safety in volatile environments (roadside, jails, trauma bays)
    •  Golden Rule: “If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.”
  •  Lesson Recap


Accreditation Numbers

  • 586-4219-26