NHA Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)Patient PreparationEasy
A phlebotomy technician is preparing to perform a venipuncture on a patient. The patient states their name and date of birth, which match the requisition form. What is the NEXT step the technician should take to ensure proper patient identification?
- AProceed with the venipuncture, as verbal confirmation is sufficient.
- BAsk a family member to confirm the patient's identity.
- CVerify the patient's address with them.
- DCheck the patient's identification band.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Check the patient's identification band.
After verbal confirmation, checking the patient's identification band is the crucial next step to ensure positive patient identification and prevent errors. This provides a visual and documented verification.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Verbal confirmation alone is not sufficient; a secondary method is required to ensure positive patient identification.
- B. Relying on family members is not a primary method for positive patient identification.
- C. Verifying the address is not a standard primary method for positive patient identification in a healthcare setting.
Positive Patient Identification
The process of accurately matching a patient to their medical records and ensuring the correct procedure is performed on the correct individual.
- Requires at least two identifiers.
- Verbal confirmation is one identifier.
- ID band or photo ID is a common second identifier.
Memory trick: Two IDs for a safe draw, or no go at all!