Laboratory Techniques for Specimen Collection

Laboratory Organization, Specimen Collection, and Transport

• Specimen collection involves collecting, handling, and transporting medical specimens.
• Many different types of specimens are received daily, necessitating careful observation to ensure appropriate collection.
• Specimen containers must be clearly labeled with clinical information, including patient name, pathology number, sex/gender, age, ward, specimen type, date, and time of collection.
• A fully completed request form, detailing the above information, should accompany each specimen.
• Specimen containers must be clean, leak-proof, and sterile when necessary.
• Special collecting trays or boxes, able to withstand repeated sterilization, should be used.
• Specimens should be placed in tightly sealed containers and carried upright.
• Containers should be free of external spillage, and specimens should be transported in plastic biohazard ziplock bags.
• Specimens should be collected from the actual infection site, avoiding contamination from adjacent tissues.
• Request forms should be kept separate from specimens to prevent contamination.
• Enough specimen should be collected for the intended lab tests.
• Specimens suspected or containing dangerous pathogens should be labeled as "Dangerous or highly infectious" and handled with special precautions (e.g., Bacillus anthrax, HIV, HBV, etc.).
• If a specimen is sent by air to a referral lab, it must be packed correctly with due regard to postal regulations (with labeling, sealed containers, and additional plastic bags).
• Common specimen tubes and their order of draw are mentioned elsewhere for reference.

Specimen Rejection Criteria

• Unlabeled specimens
• Insufficient patient information
• Hemolyzed specimens
• Wrong tube drawn
• Wrong specimen submitted
• Inadequate preservative volume
• Insufficient quantity
• Prolonged transport
• Test marked in requisition form not matching with the test billed in the software.
• Matching patient name/ID on sample and requisition form.
• Matching sample collection time on forms.
• Ensuring sample transport in a closed box (for example).
• Correct vacutainer selection.
• Avoiding sample clots
• Avoiding under filled/overfilled vacutainer issues.
• Including clinical diagnosis.
• Mentioning location of sample origin.

Packaging and Transporting Specimens

• Specimens must be packaged carefully to prevent breakage and leakage.

• Container lids must be securely fastened before packaging.

• Specimens must be labeled appropriately.

• Containers with liquid specimens (e.g., blood tubes, urine) should be placed upright.

• Specimen transport boxes (STBs) should be transported upright.

• Microbiology, cytology, and anatomic pathology specimens should packaged into individual pouch bags.

• All bagged specimens, racks, etc., should be put into one large resealable bag.

• Use one requisition per patient, placed in the resealable bag's outside pouch.

• Multiple microbiology samples from one patient (e.g., swab samples) should be placed together in one bag, excluding cytology and/or anatomic pathology samples.

• Do not roll specimens or attach them to the requisition form using tape/elastics/staples.

• Prior to pick-up by the courier, specimens should be placed inside a resealable plastic bag.

Refrigerated and Frozen Specimens

• Refrigerated specimens should be kept at that temperature until forwarding, unless otherwise stated.
• Ice packs should be included for transport to maintain temperature.
• Ensure specimen containers are not in direct contact with the ice packs.
• Frozen specimens should be stored in a refrigerator until pick-up and marked with "FREEZE."
• Frozen specimens should be secured between ice packs during transport for proper temperature maintenance.
• Specimens may need to be held on weekends or holidays to remain frozen.
• Plastic containers should be used for frozen specimens.
• Don't overfill the specimen tubes. 

Workload Capacity

• Laboratory workload capacity should match the number of staff, their experience, facility size, and availability of resources. 
• Ideally, microscopic work per day shouldn't exceed four hours.
• Excessive workload can lead to unreliable tests and safety issues.
• Too little workload can produce unreliable results due to lack of concentration. 

This quiz covers essential practices in laboratory organization, specimen collection, and transportation of medical specimens. It emphasizes the importance of proper labeling, handling, and the use of appropriate containers to ensure specimen integrity. You'll learn how to avoid contamination and ensure safe transport of specimens.