What should you do if a tube arrives broken or cracked?

• A. Use it anyway
• B. Do not use; discard and recollect per policy; document
• C. Tape it and proceed
• D. Notify the patient

Answer: (B)

When a collection tube arrives broken or cracked, the specimen’s safety and accuracy are compromised. A damaged tube can leak blood and additives, posing a biohazard to staff and potentially affecting how the sample behaves, which may lead to invalid test results. The correct action is to discard the compromised tube according to policy, recollect the specimen with a new tube, and document the incident so the deviation is recorded and proper quality control is maintained. Using the damaged tube would risk contamination or inaccurate results, taping it doesn’t restore sterility or integrity, and notifying the patient doesn’t address the procedural safety issue.