Which factor is a main source of phlebotomy errors related to patient identification?

• A. Patient identification, use barcodes
• B. Venous stasis
• C. Blood containers - tubes (color coded)
• D. Venus access location

Answer: (A)

Accurate patient identification is the critical safeguard against misidentifying a specimen. When the patient’s identity isn’t confirmed correctly, a label can end up on the wrong tube, and test results can be assigned to the wrong person. Using barcodes tied to the patient’s wristband and to the specimen tube creates a fast, automatic link between the patient, the test orders, and the sample. Scanning the barcode verifies who the patient is and ensures the right tests go with the right patient, dramatically reducing labeling errors and mix-ups.

Venous stasis affects the quality of the blood sample (like clotting or concentration changes) rather than who the patient is. Color-coded tubes help organize and indicate the type of test but don’t verify patient identity. The location of venous access influences collection practicality and technique, not identity verification.