How should you label a specimen to ensure proper identification and traceability?

• A. Label at the bedside with patient name, date of birth, unique ID, date/time, and collector initials; avoid pre-labeling.
• B. Label in the lab after processing.
• C. Label using only patient initials.
• D. Label with device barcodes only.

Answer: (A)

Labeling specimens at the bedside with complete patient identifiers is essential to ensure proper identification and traceability from the moment of collection. By labeling right after collection with the patient’s full name, date of birth, a unique ID (such as a medical record number), the exact date and time of collection, and the collector’s initials, you create a verifiable link between the patient and the specimen and establish a clear chain of custody. Pre-labeling before collection is risky because the labeled specimen might not end up with the intended patient, leading to misidentification. Labeling in the lab after processing introduces delays and opportunities for mix-ups during transport or handling. Using only patient initials risks ambiguous identification, especially with similar names, and relying on device barcodes alone may omit crucial human-readable identifiers. Bedside labeling with complete identifiers is the most reliable approach for accurate identification and traceability.