Which of the following is the minimum required number of unique patient identifiers a phlebotomist should use prior to a blood draw?
One
Two
Three
Four
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A Reason:
Using only one patient identifier is not sufficient to ensure patient safety and accuracy in healthcare settings. It increases the risk of misidentification, which can lead to serious medical errors. Therefore, one identifier is not the standard practice for patient verification before a blood draw.
Choice B Reason:
While two identifiers are commonly used in many healthcare settings as a minimum requirement, they may not always provide enough differentiation, especially in larger facilities where patient names may be similar. Two identifiers are often the minimum standard, but they are not the most comprehensive approach.
Choice C Reason:
Three unique patient identifiers provide a more robust method for verifying a patient's identity, significantly reducing the likelihood of errors. According to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), three identifiers are recommended to ensure the correct patient is being collected. This may include the patient's full name, date of birth, and medical record number or another unique identifier.
Choice D Reason:
While using four unique identifiers could further reduce the risk of patient misidentification, it is not typically required as the standard minimum. Three identifiers are generally considered adequate for most healthcare settings to ensure patient safety and proper identification.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason:
When encountering a patient who appears motionless and cyanotic, the first action should be to assess their level of consciousness. Asking loudly if they are okay can help determine if the patient is responsive or unresponsive. If there is no response, this indicates that the patient may be unconscious and requires further immediate assessment and potential intervention.
Choice B reason:
The head-tilt-chin-lift maneuver is used to open the airway of an unresponsive patient who is not suspected of having a spinal injury. However, this is not the first step. Before performing any maneuvers, it is essential to determine the patient's level of consciousness and whether they are breathing.
Choice C reason:
Administering rescue breaths is part of the process of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which is only initiated after confirming that the patient is unresponsive and not breathing normally. This step comes after checking for responsiveness and breathing.
Choice D reason:
Looking, listening, and feeling for breathing movements is part of the assessment to determine if the patient is breathing normally. This is done after establishing unresponsiveness but before initiating CPR. It is a critical step, but it follows after confirming that the patient does not respond to verbal stimuli.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A Reason:
For blood donation, a 16- to 18-gauge needle is typically used because it is large enough to allow the rapid flow of blood without causing hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells). The larger gauge needle also helps in minimizing the time the donor has to spend during the donation process. Using a needle that is too small could slow down the blood flow and potentially damage the blood cells, which is not ideal for the recipient of the blood donation.
Choice B Reason:
A 19- to 21-gauge needle is commonly used for routine venipuncture but is not ideal for blood donation. These needles are smaller than the 16- to 18-gauge needles and would not facilitate the quick collection of the volume of blood typically required for a donation. They are more suitable for collecting blood samples for testing rather than for donation purposes.
Choice C Reason:
A 22- to 24-gauge needle is even smaller and is often used for patients with smaller veins, such as children or elderly patients. These needles would not be appropriate for blood donation as they could significantly slow the blood flow and increase the donation time, which could be uncomfortable for the donor.
Choice D Reason:
A 25- to 28-gauge needle is the smallest size commonly used in medical practice and is suitable for patients with extremely small or fragile veins. These needles would be impractical for blood donation due to their small size, which would not allow for the efficient flow of blood required for a donation.
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