Correcting Name Labels on Lab specimens of Stroke Patients

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Hello Nurses,

Has anyone had to in person bring corrected name labels to lab to re label specimens on a stroke patient? How did the lab handle the situation? I am especially interested in Blood Bank if patient needs an urgent blood transfusion. I understand recollecting and labeling correct name will delay patient care. What is the best practice??.....

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

The lab would never accept a tube that was mislabeled—especially when the chain of custody was broken like that. Life and death decisions can be dependent on accurate lab information.... not the least of which is a type and screen.

The lab would require a properly labeled tube.

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Specializes in ER.

We would print out new labels in the unit and relabel before sending them to the lab.

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What do you mean wrong name? Is it a misspelling or a complete wrong patient? You normally use the labels given to you until they can get the name corrected in the system. But I’ve really only had a minor misspelling or a John Doe that we’ve now found the name on. The powers that be should transfer all the lab info from the incorrect name to the chart of the correct one.

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