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Preanalytical Errors: Some common errors
in Blood Specimen Collection for routine
investigations in hospital patients
659-661
Correspondence
P.K. Nigam, Dept of Cardiology, CSM Medical University, UP,
Lucknow 226003
Email: p_nigam1@yahoo.com
Phone: 0522 2692084 (Residence), 0522 2255830 ext 47 (Office)
9235775577 (mobile
Preanalytical variables include specimen collection, handling, processing, physiological influences and/or interference factors. Since the blood collection is the first step, any error in this step will jeopardize the whole test results, no matter how accurately these are analysed in the laboratory. Here, some common errors in blood collection and handling in hospital patients have been highlighed by giving some instances . Preanalytics involve the patient, the physician, the resident doctor, the Prabhat Kumar Nigam nurse, the technician, the laboratory personnel and the transport service. Therefore, all of them are required to know about preanalytical variables, their possible sources and their effect on the test results. Moreover, since the resident doctors have a direct interaction with the paramedical staff, it is very important for them to understand the preanalytical variables so that they could instruct the paramedical staff accordingly.