Lab Series Part 3: Labeling Tubes (Part 1) Lab tubes must be labeled prior to sending to the lab. Unlabeled tubes = rejection How to label: • CPOE labels have a notch on one side and tubes have a colored notch (same color as their top) • Place label on the tube so that the 2 notches line up. Colored notch will be visible thru the CPOE notch • Label that is not placed correctly causes a delays in processing because the technologist must manually enter all information. If you need your labs performed on time, and then follow the notch alignment! There are 3 types of labels used for microcontainers. 1. Fastform label – placed vertically on the Chemistry microcontainers: green, amber, or red and pinched at the bottom (middle figure) 2. Medium sized CPOE label – placed on the lavender Hematology microcontainers vertically and pinched at the bottom (bottom figure) 3. Phlebotomy label – used only by phlebotomists is wider than the others labels and placed vertically on the microcontainer with the edge folded. (top figure) For blood culture bottles, label placement is very important. The label should be placed above the skew number vertically so that it does not cover the bar code or the empty white box. The white box is to write the date, time, and location of collection.
For blood gases and small syringes, place the center of the label lengthwise on the syringe. Press the label around the syringe so that it meets itself and press together to make a tab. Place the label as close to the plunger as possible. As you can see, when the syringe is labeled this way, all parts of the label can be viewed. For further information use the link to access the "Blood Draw Instruction" module. http://www.umm.edu/cernertraining/elearning/preLabSpecimen/ BloodDrawEducationModule/BloodDrawEducationModule.htm A label is placed correctly when: a. The notch is placed horizontally and the label wrapped around the tube b. The CPOE notch is lined up with the notch on the tube and placed vertically so the color can be seen thru the CPOE notch.
What label is to be used for the Chemistry microcontainers? a. b. c.
The Typenex label The CPOE label The fast form label from the chart
Infection Control Question form staff (cont from pg 7) Why do we switch to bleach cleaning for patients with Clostridium difficile and other diarrheal illnesses? Clostridium difficile (C.diff) is a spore-forming bacterium that produces toxins causing mild to severe diarrheal disease in humans. Alcohol based cleansers and other routine hospital cleaners are Ineffective against the spores and in some strains may exacerbate the formation of these spores. Disinfectants containing bleach (hypochlorite) have been proven to be effective in killing C.diff and other diarrhea causing bacteria. For more info: http://www.cdc.gov/hai/organisms/cdiff/cdiff_faqs_hcp.html 8