Unit 3: Rejection Criteria for Lab Samples: What to Watch For
Course Objectives
- Identify common causes of specimen rejection in clinical laboratories, including issues related to labeling, tube selection, hemolysis, and contamination.
- Explain the impact of pre-analytical errors on laboratory results, patient care, and overall quality assurance within the testing process.
- Demonstrate knowledge of specimen handling and transport requirements, including proper storage conditions and timing considerations that affect sample integrity.
- Apply best practices in blood collection techniques to minimize rejection risks and ensure specimens meet laboratory acceptance criteria.
Course Content
Course Creator: Kristen Moylan BSPH, CCRC
Total CE Hours: 1 Credit Hour
Pace Course #: 586-2513-25
Course Description:
Next in our journey through the Specimen Integrity and Rejection Prevention series, we will examine Rejection Criteria for Lab Samples and what to look out for. Phlebotomists play a critical role in ensuring the accuracy of laboratory test results, and the quality of the specimen collected can directly impact patient care, diagnosis, and treatment. Despite the best intentions, laboratory samples are sometimes rejected due to preventable errors, ranging from minor oversights to major procedural violations. This course, Rejection Criteria for Lab Samples: What to Watch For, takes a comprehensive look at the factors that lead to sample rejection, with a focus on real-world scenarios encountered in clinical practice.
Through a detailed examination of pre-analytical variables, this course explores issues such as mislabeled specimens, incorrect tube selection, inadequate sample volume, clotting in anti-coagulated specimens,
hemolysis, contamination, improper storage or transport, and timing errors. Each topic is presented with practical examples and solutions, helping phlebotomists better understand how and why these mistakes occur, and most importantly, how to prevent them.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of laboratory standards and protocols, including Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines and institutional rejection criteria. This course also
emphasizes the importance of communication between laboratory staff and phlebotomy teams, and how a collaborative approach can reduce specimen rejection rates and improve workflow efficiency.
Designed for both new and experienced phlebotomists, this course reinforces the connection between proper collection technique and quality patient outcomes. Readers will become better equipped to recognize high-risk situations, follow best practices consistently, and contribute meaningfully to the reliability of laboratory testing.
Whether working in a hospital, an outpatient clinic, or a diagnostic laboratory, this course provides valuable insights that support continuous improvement, professional accountability, and a stronger understanding of how frontline practices affect the entire testing process.
References:
Next in our journey through the Specimen Integrity and Rejection Prevention series, we will examine Rejection Criteria for Lab Samples and what to look out for. Phlebotomists play a critical role in ensuring the accuracy of laboratory test results, and the quality of the specimen collected can directly impact patient care, diagnosis, and treatment. Despite the best intentions, laboratory samples are sometimes rejected due to preventable errors, ranging from minor oversights to major procedural violations. This course, Rejection Criteria for Lab Samples: What to Watch For, takes a comprehensive look at the factors that lead to sample rejection, with a focus on real-world scenarios encountered in clinical practice.
Through a detailed examination of pre-analytical variables, this course explores issues such as mislabeled specimens, incorrect tube selection, inadequate sample volume, clotting in anti-coagulated specimens,
hemolysis, contamination, improper storage or transport, and timing errors. Each topic is presented with practical examples and solutions, helping phlebotomists better understand how and why these mistakes occur, and most importantly, how to prevent them.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of laboratory standards and protocols, including Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines and institutional rejection criteria. This course also
emphasizes the importance of communication between laboratory staff and phlebotomy teams, and how a collaborative approach can reduce specimen rejection rates and improve workflow efficiency.
Designed for both new and experienced phlebotomists, this course reinforces the connection between proper collection technique and quality patient outcomes. Readers will become better equipped to recognize high-risk situations, follow best practices consistently, and contribute meaningfully to the reliability of laboratory testing.
Whether working in a hospital, an outpatient clinic, or a diagnostic laboratory, this course provides valuable insights that support continuous improvement, professional accountability, and a stronger understanding of how frontline practices affect the entire testing process.
References:
- Improve. (n.d.). The Importance of Timely Specimen Transport in Medical Laboratory Testing: Factors, Standards, and Best Practices. Improve. Retrieved August 11, 2025, from https://www.improve-medical.net/resources-8/The-Importance-of-Timely-Specimen-Transport-in-Medical-Laboratory-Testing:-Factors,-Standards,-and-Best-Practices
- NeedleTube. (2023a, September 7). The Importance Of Properly Filled Blood Collection Tubes. Needle.Tube - Diagnostic Lab Supplies, Great Prices, Fast Delivery, Blood Collection Needles, Blood Collection Tubes, Infusion Needles. https://www.needle.tube/resources-9/the-importance-of-properly-filled-blood-collection-tubes
- NeedleTube. (2023b, October 4). Impact of Clotted Blood Samples on Lab Results: Prevention and Handling Tips. Needle.Tube - Diagnostic Lab Supplies, Great Prices, Fast Delivery, Blood Collection Needles, Blood Collection Tubes, Infusion Needles. https://www.needle.tube/resources-12/impact-of-clotted-blood-samples-on-lab-results-prevention-and-handling-tips
- NeedleTube. (2024, June 4). What is the impact of temperature fluctuations during sample processing, and how is it mitigated? Needle.Tube - Diagnostic Lab Supplies, Great Prices, Fast Delivery, Blood Collection Needles, Blood Collection Tubes, Infusion Needles. https://www.needle.tube/resources-articles/what-is-the-impact-of-temperature-fluctuations-during-sample-processing-and-how-is-it-mitigated
- NeedleTube. (2025). The Consequences of Incorrect Order of Draw in Blood Sample Collection: Legal, Ethical, and Diagnostic Implications. Needle.tube. https://www.needle.tube/resources-23/The-Consequences-of-Incorrect-Order-of-Draw-in-Blood-Sample-Collection:-Legal
- Nordin, N., Ab, N., Farhana, W., Zulkarnain, S., Sinha, S., Kumar, S., & Haque, M. (2024). Preanalytical Errors in Clinical Laboratory Testing at a Glance: Source and Control Measures. Curēus, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.57243
- What is Hemolysis and How to Prevent it. (n.d.). Www.phlebotomy.com. https://www.phlebotomy.com/hemolysis.html
- Labcorp. (2025). Blood Specimens: Coagulation. Labcorp.com. https://www.labcorp.com/test-menu/resources/blood-specimens-coagulation
