Title: Explain the importance of accurate patient identification in specimen collection.
Course: Medical Laboratory Technology I (14102-I) > Section: Understanding the Basics of Specimen Collection

Explanation should include the prevention of patient injuries or fatalities due to incorrect patient identification. It should also include the concept that most laboratory errors are pre-analytical and are the result of misidentification and that there are relevant medical and legal issues related to misidentification.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What are the ramifications of incorrect patient identification?
- What forms of patient identification are acceptable in laboratory collection? Why?
- What steps can be taken to reduce patient identification errors?
- How do forms of identification differ depending on the procedure (e.g., for blood bank)?