Philippine E-Journals

Perceived Pre-analytical Errors of Medical Laboratory Scientists in the Phlebotomy Section from Selected Clinical Diagnostic Laboratories in Laguna

Ivan James Lozano | Stanley Niño Mecate | Aaron Olivares

Discipline: Medical Technology

 

Abstract:

Pre-analytical errors remain a major concern in laboratory medicine as they can significantly affect diagnostic accuracy and patient safety. This study aims to determine the perception of medical laboratory scientists to pre-analytical errors on the phlebotomy section in selected clinical laboratories in Laguna. To identify the cause of errors and pre-analytical errors of medical laboratory scientists in the phlebotomy section. A total of 20 respondents from randomly selected clinical laboratories in Calamba, Laguna and the survey consist of pre-analytical errors in the phlebotomy section with the use of a four-point Likert-type scale. The frequency of the errors will be weighed up to determine the level of awareness of the respondents and the correlation between errors. Our result showed that the hemolyzed sample/s due to insufficient filling of tubes acquiring the highest mean of 1.65. Together with the composite mean of 1.42, the researchers imply that many of the respondents have never encountered such laboratory procedure errors. However, other procedures gained a mean of 1.80, the respondents sometimes encountered an error of losing or not receiving the sample as a task in the laboratory. Furthermore, a mean of 1.65 shows that the respondents sometimes misidentify a patient before its succeeding laboratory tests. From a safety perspective, most of the results in pre-analytical errors, lost specimens, and misidentification of patients are significantly high. Both errors may be correlated to each other when it comes to patient identification, which is the most imperative part of pre-analytical error.