What action should be taken if a blood sample is collected incorrectly?

The appropriate action when a blood sample is collected incorrectly is to document the event and recollect the sample following protocols. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the testing process and ensuring accurate results for the patient. Documenting the error provides a record for accountability and helps in quality assurance by identifying potential areas for improvement in techniques or processes.

Recollecting the sample according to established protocols ensures that the new sample is obtained under correct conditions, minimizing the chance of further errors and ensuring that the results will correctly reflect the patient's condition. This systematic approach also upholds the standards of patient safety and care.

Informing the patient about the error, while important for transparency, does not address the immediate need for accurate lab results and the steps required to correct the procedure. Discarding the sample without further actions would not rectify the situation and could potentially compromise patient care. Leaving the sample for later analysis could result in unreliable or invalid results, particularly if time-sensitive tests are required.