Question

A physician orders pre-op blood work to make sure that the patient's potassium level is not too low for surgery, which could cause arrhythmia or cardiac arrest. Without the knowledge of the physician, the patient actually has a potassium level that disqualifies him as a candidate for surgery. The phlebotomist draws the tubes, filling the lavender-top tube before the serum tube. The laboratory tests the specimen, unaware that it has been cross-contaminated, reports out a normal potassium level. The physician reviews the result and takes the patient to surgery. During the procedure, the patient goes into cardiac arrest and dies on the table. What are the possible errors that the phlebotomist committed and what are the possible causes of the erroneous result?

Answer 1

Ans:)The patient might have died due to pseudohyperkalemia .

Various causes are responsible for erroneous result eg

.Pneumatic tube transport/unpadded canisters

.Vigorous mixing

. excessive centrifugal force

.higher temperature

.delayed processing

.imminent venipuncture