Which of the following is a common reason a specimen is rejected due to labeling issues?

• A. Mislabeled specimen
• B. Hemolyzed specimen
• C. Clotting in a tube meant to be plasma
• D. Insufficient specimen volume

Answer: (A)

Label accuracy is essential because patient safety depends on linking results to the right person. A mislabeled specimen is the classic labeling problem that labs reject immediately; if the label has the wrong patient information or order details, the specimen cannot be correctly associated with the correct patient or test request, risking erroneous results being reported to the wrong person. This is why mislabeling is the primary reason a specimen is rejected when the issue is labeling. The other issues—hemolyzed sample, clotting in a tube intended for plasma, or insufficient volume—relate to the sample’s quality or collection technique, not to labeling.