A medical assistant has orders to collect blood cultures, a CBC, a prothrombin time (PT), and an Iron panel. They forget to draw for the PT. What should the assistant do?

The most appropriate action for the medical assistant in this scenario is to keep the specimens that have already been collected and draw the prothrombin time (PT). This approach ensures that all necessary tests are performed as per the physician’s orders without needing to repeat those that have already been drawn.

Blood specimens can often have limited viability, and certain tests need to be performed within specific time frames for accurate results. By collecting the PT as soon as possible while maintaining the integrity of the previously collected specimens, the assistant maximizes the chances of obtaining valid and reliable results for the entire order.

This approach also helps in maintaining efficiency in patient care, as it avoids delays associated with disposing of the specimens and awaiting new orders from the physician. Such action could potentially disrupt the continuity of care and is generally unnecessary if the assistant is able to perform the missing draw without compromising other samples.