Final answer:
A phlebotomist must verify the inclusion of essential details on a laboratory requisition, such as the patient’s information, correct test orders, specific procedure, and special instructions, to ensure proper identification, specimen integrity, patient safety, and testing accuracy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Essential Information on Laboratory Requisitions for Phlebotomists
Before a phlebotomist performs blood specimen collection, it is important to ensure that the laboratory requisition includes several critical pieces of information. These include the patient’s name and identification number to ensure correct patient identification, date and time of collection to maintain specimen integrity and testing accuracy, type of tests ordered by the physician to prepare proper equipment and collection technique, and any special instructions such as fasting requirements which may affect test outcomes.
The requisition should also include the specific procedure to be performed and be properly labeled to distinguish it from other test requisitions. This ensures the integrity and accuracy in the blood specimen testing process. Additionally, verifying patient allergies or potential reactions to antiseptics or puncture procedures can be vital for patient safety.
Lastly, the phlebotomist should cross-check that all the necessary equipment, such as needles and anticoagulant vials, is present and that the specimen labeling is accurate to avoid mix-ups in the testing phase, which could lead to critical errors in diagnosis or treatment plan.