Which of the following is a preanalytical error?

Prepare for the CalRegional Phlebotomy Exam with practice tests, flashcards, and multiple choice questions. Each question is equipped with helpful hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your certification!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a preanalytical error?

Preanalytical errors occur during specimen collection and handling before the test is performed. Failing to mix an additive tube fits this category because the additive must be evenly distributed throughout the blood sample. If the tube isn’t mixed properly, the additive can stay concentrated in one portion, leading to improper anticoagulation or interference with the test chemistry. This can cause clotting in tubes meant to stay liquid, or biased results in cell counts, coagulation studies, or other measurements, making the result inaccurate. Other issues mentioned are not as directly tied to how the sample is treated before analysis. Mislabeling an aliquot tube is a labeling/clerical error that can lead to patient mix-ups, but it doesn’t reflect the specimen’s chemical or physical integrity. Using the wrong order of draw can cause cross-contamination of additives, which is a preanalytical issue, but the specific act of not mixing an additive tube most directly compromises the sample’s integrity and test accuracy. Misreporting patient results is a post-analytical error, occurring after analysis.

Preanalytical errors occur during specimen collection and handling before the test is performed. Failing to mix an additive tube fits this category because the additive must be evenly distributed throughout the blood sample. If the tube isn’t mixed properly, the additive can stay concentrated in one portion, leading to improper anticoagulation or interference with the test chemistry. This can cause clotting in tubes meant to stay liquid, or biased results in cell counts, coagulation studies, or other measurements, making the result inaccurate.

Other issues mentioned are not as directly tied to how the sample is treated before analysis. Mislabeling an aliquot tube is a labeling/clerical error that can lead to patient mix-ups, but it doesn’t reflect the specimen’s chemical or physical integrity. Using the wrong order of draw can cause cross-contamination of additives, which is a preanalytical issue, but the specific act of not mixing an additive tube most directly compromises the sample’s integrity and test accuracy. Misreporting patient results is a post-analytical error, occurring after analysis.

More practice questions