A phlebotomist should instruct a patient to take which of the following actions when providing a sputum specimen?

Choice A reason:
A patient's room number is not a unique identifier as it is subject to change. Patients may be moved to different rooms during their hospital stay, and room numbers are not specific to individuals.

Choice B reason:
A patient's bed label is also not a unique identifier. Like room numbers, bed labels can change if patients are moved within the hospital for various reasons, such as changes in their medical condition or room availability.

Choice C reason:
The patient's inpatient chart demographic information is the correct unique identifier to use. This typically includes the patient's name, date of birth, and a unique medical record number assigned by the healthcare facility. These details are specific to the individual and do not change, making them reliable for patient identification.

Choice D reason:
A patient's verbal confirmation alone is not sufficient as a unique identifier. While it is important to engage the patient in the identification process, verbal confirmation must be used in conjunction with other identifiers to ensure accuracy, as patients may be confused or unable to communicate effectively.

Choice A reason:
Quality control measurements are essential for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of blood glucose monitors. According to best practices, all blood glucose monitors in use, regardless of their origin, should undergo daily quality control checks. This is to verify that the monitors are functioning correctly and providing accurate readings, which is crucial for patient care and treatment decisions.

Choice B reason:
Focusing only on the blood glucose monitors from the new office for daily quality control measurements is not sufficient. While new equipment may be less likely to have wear-and-tear issues that could affect performance, it is still subject to potential inaccuracies and must be included in the daily quality control routine.

Choice C reason:
Similarly, excluding the new monitors and only checking those from the old medical office would neglect the possibility of inaccuracies in the newer equipment. All monitors, irrespective of their age, can experience calibration drift or other issues that affect their performance.

Choice D reason:
Opting not to perform daily quality control measurements on any of the blood glucose monitors would be against the recommended guidelines and could lead to inaccurate blood glucose readings. This could have serious implications for patient health, particularly in the management of diabetes.