CookbookWork and teamsNo. 33
A standard operating procedurespecimen receipt, step by step, under document control
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Pre-analytical SOPsNo. 14
SOP-PA-014Specimen receipt and accessioning
7 sections, 2,310 words, about 10 minutes, revised 18 September
How the reception bench receives, checks, accepts or rejects, and registers every specimen that reaches the laboratory. Read it before your first shift on reception.
Document controlControlled copy
- SOP number
- SOP-PA-014
- Revision
- 6, superseding revision 5 of 3 March 2025
- Owner
- Pre-analytical supervisor, R. Adeyemi
- Approved by
- Laboratory manager
- Effective
- 1 October 2026
- Next review
- 1 October 2028
Printed copies are uncontrolled. Check a printed revision number against this page before you rely on it.
Document control · Controlled copy
SOP number: SOP-PA-014
Revision: 6, superseding revision 5 of 3 March 2025
Owner: Pre-analytical supervisor, R. Adeyemi
Approved by: Laboratory manager
Effective: 1 October 2026
Next review: 1 October 2028
Printed copies are uncontrolled. Check a printed revision number against this page before you rely on it.
```element card
{
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"aside": "Controlled copy",
"rows": [
{
"term": "SOP number",
"value": "SOP-PA-014"
},
{
"term": "Revision",
"value": "6, superseding revision 5 of 3 March 2025"
},
{
"term": "Owner",
"value": "Pre-analytical supervisor, R. Adeyemi"
},
{
"term": "Approved by",
"value": "Laboratory manager"
},
{
"term": "Effective",
"value": "1 October 2026"
},
{
"term": "Next review",
"value": "1 October 2028"
}
],
"note": "Printed copies are uncontrolled. Check a printed revision number against this page before you rely on it."
}
```Accept or reject: the checks at reception, in order
A specimen arrives. If its two identifiers do not match the request, it is rejected and recollected, unless it is irreplaceable, when the collector must confirm its identity in person before it goes on. It is then checked for the right tube and volume, and for being within its stability time. Failing either check means rejection; passing both, it is accessioned, barcoded and taken to the analyser bench.
- Specimen arrives
- Leads to Two identifiers match?
- Two identifiers match?
- Leads to Right tube and volume?, yes
- Leads to Irreplaceable?, no
- Irreplaceable?
- Leads to Collector confirms ID, yes
- Leads to Reject, ask to recollect, no
- Collector confirms ID
- Leads to Right tube and volume?
- Right tube and volume?
- Leads to Within stability time?, yes
- Leads to Reject, ask to recollect, no
- Within stability time?
- Leads to Accession and barcode, yes
- Leads to Reject, ask to recollect, no
- Reject, ask to recollect
- Accession and barcode
- Leads to To the analyser bench
- To the analyser bench
```element flowchart
{
"caption": "Accept or reject: the checks at reception, in order",
"description": "A specimen arrives. If its two identifiers do not match the request, it is rejected and recollected, unless it is irreplaceable, when the collector must confirm its identity in person before it goes on. It is then checked for the right tube and volume, and for being within its stability time. Failing either check means rejection; passing both, it is accessioned, barcoded and taken to the analyser bench.",
"direction": "TD",
"nodes": [
{
"id": "arrive",
"label": "Specimen arrives",
"shape": "stadium"
},
{
"id": "ids",
"label": "Two identifiers match?",
"shape": "diamond"
},
{
"id": "irrep",
"label": "Irreplaceable?",
"shape": "diamond"
},
{
"id": "confirm",
"label": "Collector confirms ID",
"shape": "rectangle"
},
{
"id": "tube",
"label": "Right tube and volume?",
"shape": "diamond"
},
{
"id": "stable",
"label": "Within stability time?",
"shape": "diamond"
},
{
"id": "reject",
"label": "Reject, ask to recollect",
"shape": "rectangle",
"emphasis": "key"
},
{
"id": "accession",
"label": "Accession and barcode",
"shape": "rectangle"
},
{
"id": "bench",
"label": "To the analyser bench",
"shape": "stadium"
}
],
"links": [
{
"from": "arrive",
"to": "ids",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
},
{
"from": "ids",
"to": "tube",
"label": "yes",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
},
{
"from": "ids",
"to": "irrep",
"label": "no",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
},
{
"from": "irrep",
"to": "confirm",
"label": "yes",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
},
{
"from": "irrep",
"to": "reject",
"label": "no",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
},
{
"from": "confirm",
"to": "tube",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
},
{
"from": "tube",
"to": "stable",
"label": "yes",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
},
{
"from": "tube",
"to": "reject",
"label": "no",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
},
{
"from": "stable",
"to": "accession",
"label": "yes",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
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{
"from": "stable",
"to": "reject",
"label": "no",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
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"from": "accession",
"to": "bench",
"line": "solid",
"head": "arrow"
}
]
}
```A specimen that fails a check is never relabelled at the bench. Section 4 lists every rejection reason and what to tell the ward.
Sections
- 1Purpose and scopeObservationEvery specimen received at the reception bench, from wards, clinics and the pneumatic tube.
- 2SafetyRiskStandard precautions for every specimen; leaking containers go to the safety cabinet unopened.
- 3ProcedureObservation, keySix steps from the bag to the barcode, one specimen at a time.
- 4Rejection criteriaDecisionUnlabelled or mislabelled, wrong tube, underfilled, clotted, haemolysed, out of time.
and 3 more sections
Pre-analytical SOPsSOP-PA-014
3of 7
Procedure
Observation, key section, 1 note, 612 words
Work at the reception bench and finish each specimen before you open the next bag.
Receipt, one specimen at a time
Gloves and a lab coat on
Treat every specimen as potentially infectious. A leaking or broken container stays in its bag and goes to the biological safety cabinet; never open it on the open bench.
Check how it travelled
Each specimen comes sealed in a biohazard bag, the request in the separate outer pocket. Anything that must travel cold, such as ammonia on ice, must arrive that way.
Match two identifiers
Full name and date of birth, or name and hospital number, on the tube must match the request exactly. A bed or room number is never an identifier.
Check the tube and its fill
Citrate tubes filled to the line; no clots in an EDTA tube for a full blood count; no potassium on a haemolysed sample, as haemolysis raises it falsely.
Accession and label
Register the request in the laboratory system, record the time received, and put the barcode on lengthwise without covering the patient’s name.
Record every rejection
Enter the reason in the laboratory system, phone the ward or clinic before your shift ends, and ask for a new specimen. Never relabel a tube.
Receipt, one specimen at a time
- Gloves and a lab coat on
Treat every specimen as potentially infectious. A leaking or broken container stays in its bag and goes to the biological safety cabinet; never open it on the open bench.
- Check how it travelled
Each specimen comes sealed in a biohazard bag, the request in the separate outer pocket. Anything that must travel cold, such as ammonia on ice, must arrive that way.
- Match two identifiers
Full name and date of birth, or name and hospital number, on the tube must match the request exactly. A bed or room number is never an identifier.
- Check the tube and its fill
Citrate tubes filled to the line; no clots in an EDTA tube for a full blood count; no potassium on a haemolysed sample, as haemolysis raises it falsely.
- Accession and label
Register the request in the laboratory system, record the time received, and put the barcode on lengthwise without covering the patient’s name.
- Record every rejection
Enter the reason in the laboratory system, phone the ward or clinic before your shift ends, and ask for a new specimen. Never relabel a tube.
```element steps
{
"label": "Receipt, one specimen at a time",
"steps": [
{
"title": "Gloves and a lab coat on",
"body": "Treat every specimen as potentially infectious. A leaking or broken container stays in its bag and goes to the biological safety cabinet; never open it on the open bench."
},
{
"title": "Check how it travelled",
"body": "Each specimen comes sealed in a biohazard bag, the request in the separate outer pocket. Anything that must travel cold, such as ammonia on ice, must arrive that way."
},
{
"title": "Match two identifiers",
"body": "Full name and date of birth, or name and hospital number, on the tube must match the request exactly. A bed or room number is never an identifier."
},
{
"title": "Check the tube and its fill",
"body": "Citrate tubes filled to the line; no clots in an EDTA tube for a full blood count; no potassium on a haemolysed sample, as haemolysis raises it falsely."
},
{
"title": "Accession and label",
"body": "Register the request in the laboratory system, record the time received, and put the barcode on lengthwise without covering the patient’s name."
},
{
"title": "Record every rejection",
"body": "Enter the reason in the laboratory system, phone the ward or clinic before your shift ends, and ask for a new specimen. Never relabel a tube."
}
]
}
```When unsure, hold the specimen at the correct temperature and ask the duty biomedical scientist before you reject it.
SOP-PA-014, revision history
Irreplaceable specimens (rev. 6)
Accept a mislabelled irreplaceable specimen only once the collector confirms its identity in person and signs for it
Spinal fluid and tissue cannot be taken again. Rejecting them outright cost patients a second procedure; every exception is logged and reviewed monthly.
Also considered Reject every mislabelled specimen · Confirm identity by phone
No relabelling at the bench (rev. 5)
A mislabelled specimen is rejected and recollected; nobody corrects a label in the laboratory
Correcting labels hid identification errors from the wards that made them. Three near misses in 2024 traced back to it.
Correcting labels at reception (rev. 4)
Reception may correct a misspelt name on a tube
Replaced by No relabelling at the bench (rev. 5)
Meant to save recollections for small errors.
Coagulation samples by pneumatic tube
Allow, once the tube system is validated for them
Validation results are due in December. Until then coagulation samples come to reception by hand.
SOP-PA-014, revision history
Irreplaceable specimens (rev. 6)
✓ Decided 18 September 2026
Choice: Accept a mislabelled irreplaceable specimen only once the collector confirms its identity in person and signs for it
Reason: Spinal fluid and tissue cannot be taken again. Rejecting them outright cost patients a second procedure; every exception is logged and reviewed monthly.
Also considered: Reject every mislabelled specimen · Confirm identity by phone
No relabelling at the bench (rev. 5)
✓ Decided 3 March 2025
Choice: A mislabelled specimen is rejected and recollected; nobody corrects a label in the laboratory
Reason: Correcting labels hid identification errors from the wards that made them. Three near misses in 2024 traced back to it.
Correcting labels at reception (rev. 4)
⊘ Superseded 12 June 2023
Choice: Reception may correct a misspelt name on a tube
Replaced by: No relabelling at the bench (rev. 5)
Reason: Meant to save recollections for small errors.
Coagulation samples by pneumatic tube
○ Open
Choice: Allow, once the tube system is validated for them
Reason: Validation results are due in December. Until then coagulation samples come to reception by hand.
```element decisions
{
"caption": "SOP-PA-014, revision history",
"decisions": [
{
"title": "Irreplaceable specimens (rev. 6)",
"status": "decided",
"date": "2026-09-18",
"choice": "Accept a mislabelled irreplaceable specimen only once the collector confirms its identity in person and signs for it",
"reason": "Spinal fluid and tissue cannot be taken again. Rejecting them outright cost patients a second procedure; every exception is logged and reviewed monthly.",
"alternatives": [
{
"option": "Reject every mislabelled specimen"
},
{
"option": "Confirm identity by phone"
}
]
},
{
"title": "No relabelling at the bench (rev. 5)",
"status": "decided",
"date": "2025-03-03",
"choice": "A mislabelled specimen is rejected and recollected; nobody corrects a label in the laboratory",
"reason": "Correcting labels hid identification errors from the wards that made them. Three near misses in 2024 traced back to it."
},
{
"title": "Correcting labels at reception (rev. 4)",
"status": "superseded",
"date": "2023-06-12",
"choice": "Reception may correct a misspelt name on a tube",
"reason": "Meant to save recollections for small errors.",
"supersededBy": "No relabelling at the bench (rev. 5)"
},
{
"title": "Coagulation samples by pneumatic tube",
"status": "open",
"choice": "Allow, once the tube system is validated for them",
"reason": "Validation results are due in December. Until then coagulation samples come to reception by hand."
}
]
}
```How it works
Write the procedure people actually follow at the bench: document control where an auditor looks first, the method as numbered steps, the one hard call drawn as a flowchart, and a revision history that says why each rule changed. Share it on a link, and the bench reads the current revision.
Try this prompt
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