Preanalytical venous blood sampling practices demand improvement — A survey of test-request management, test-tube labelling and information search procedures

Most errors in laboratory medicine are preanalytical in nature. In the present study, we aimed to survey preanalytical steps in venous blood sampling, prior to actual sample collection. These steps included test-request management and test-tube labelling, as well as information search procedures. Venous blood sampling staff (n=314, response rate 94%) in hospital wards and laboratories completed a questionnaire related to clinical chemistry testing. Instructions for test-request management and test-tube labelling were not always followed. For example, only 66% of the ward staff reported always checking the test-request if someone else completed it, compared to 90% of the laboratory staff (p=0.003). As few as 16% of the ward staff reported desirable practices regarding test-tube labelling, compared to 100% of the laboratory staff (p