NHA Phlebotomy Certification Practice Exam

Which lab department is most impacted by a mislabeled tube?

1. Coagulation

2. Hematology

3. Immunology

4. Blood bank

The correct answer is: Blood bank

The blood bank department is particularly impacted by mislabeled tubes because the identification of blood products and patient samples is critically important in transfusion medicine. Mislabeled tubes can lead to dangerous consequences including administering the wrong blood type to a patient, which can cause severe transfusion reactions or even fatalities. In the blood bank, accurate blood typing, crossmatching, and compatibility testing rely heavily on correctly labeled specimens. If a tube is mislabeled, the entire process can be compromised, jeopardizing patient safety. This department must maintain an extremely high standard for accuracy given the direct life-and-death implications involved with blood transfusions. While other lab departments, such as coagulation, hematology, and immunology, also require precise labeling for the accurate interpretation of results, the immediate and severe risks associated with the blood bank make it the department most critically affected by labeling errors.