Final answer:
A phlebotomist must choose the correct tube color and additive based on the Laboratory Test. When both anti-A and anti-B antibodies cause agglutination in a patient's blood sample, it indicates an AB blood type. This is a normal response, and no error has been made in the determination of the blood type.
Step-by-step explanation:
A phlebotomist must choose the correct tube color and additive for the corresponding Laboratory Test. When a technician collects a blood sample for type determination, the addition of anti-A and anti-B antibodies to separate wells respectively is a standard procedure to identify blood group antigens. If both samples visibly agglutinate, as described in the scenario where a patient is being prepared for surgery, the technician has not necessarily made an error. This is a normal response for blood that has both A and B antigens, indicating that the patient has AB blood type, which is one of the four main ABO blood groups.
The determination of blood types is a critical task for medical and clinical laboratory personnel, including blood bank technology specialists, who perform tests to type blood according to various schemes such as ABO and Rh factors. This information is vital for appropriate transfusions and for diagnosis of certain medical conditions.