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Information Required for Specimen & Requisition Identification

Minimum Specimen Identifiers

Specimens and requisitions sent to the lab must have a minimum of TWO major patient identifiers on each specimen container and requisition:

• Full patient name:  full first and last names.
• Unique patient ID number:  either the RHRN number or the PHN.

 

Labelling Blood Tubes

Specimens should be labelled so that the patients name is next to the lid and so that the blood is still visible in the tube.

Lab personnel need to be able to see the volume and condition of the specimen without peeling back labels.

• Do not apply the label over the lid.
• Do not wrap the label around the tube like a flag.
• Do not apply the label with the tube lid on the right side.

 




The 3" Clinibase/SCM labels that were created to be placed on patient charts are too long for CLS specimen tubes.  The longer labels have a negative impact on processing by:

• blocking viewing of the tube contents
• jamming the analyzers
• sticking on the gloves of lab personnel
• breaking specimens resulting in contamination / recollects

 

 

Specimen Rejection

Improperly Labelled or Unlabelled Samples

Any specimen not having the minimum labelling requirements will be rejected by the laboratory and will have to be recollected.

Specimen & Requisition Mismatch

Specimens labelled with one patient name, and sent with requisitions for another patient will be classified as mislabelled and will need to be recollected; the specimen label and requisition full name and unique identifier must match exactly.

Exceptions

For all exceptions to specimen rejection, a Laboratory Sample/Test Request Deficiency Resolution (DR) Form must be completed and signed by the person assuming responsibility for the identification of the specimen.

A DR Form may be filled out and signed, and the specimen labelled or relabelled, only if:

• the specimen cannot be recollected due to the specimen type (e.g. CSF, tissue, cytopathology specimens) or due to timing of the collection,
• recollection would cause undue hardship to the patient.

Considerations

• The date and time of collection, along with the name of the individual that collected the specimens, must appear on the requisition and specimen sent to the laboratory.
• Use the 24 hour naming convention, and ensure there is no confusion as to the date and/or month of the collection.

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