What information should a medical assistant label on venipuncture tubes before transport?

Labeling venipuncture tubes accurately is crucial for ensuring proper identification and tracking of samples during the laboratory testing process. The most important information to include on the tubes is the initials of the collector and the time the sample was collected. This practice allows for accountability and traceability, which are essential in maintaining the integrity of the sample and ensuring that results can be accurately attributed to the correct patient.

Including the initials of the collector helps in identifying who performed the blood draw, which can be important for quality control and for following up if there are any issues with the sample or tests. The time of collection is also vital, as certain tests may vary in results based on the time of day the sample was taken due to metabolic changes in the body, or it may affect the processing of the sample.

While the other information suggested—such as the patient’s full name and date of birth, type of test to be performed, and location of the blood draw—are important for proper patient identification and test ordering, they do not provide the same level of immediate accountability as the initials and collection time. This is why the focus is placed on capturing the initials of the collector and the time the sample was obtained on the venipuncture tubes.