Evaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses’ experiences: a mixed design study
Abstract Background The preanalytical phase is considered the most error-prone part of laboratory testing and significantly contributes to medical errors. Specimen rejections during this phase can delay diagnosis and treatment, compromise patient safety, and increase healthcare costs. Understanding...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Nursing |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03426-w |
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| author | Yasemin Güner Elif Kılıç Güner Melek Üçüncüoğlu Harun Yüksel |
| author_facet | Yasemin Güner Elif Kılıç Güner Melek Üçüncüoğlu Harun Yüksel |
| author_sort | Yasemin Güner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The preanalytical phase is considered the most error-prone part of laboratory testing and significantly contributes to medical errors. Specimen rejections during this phase can delay diagnosis and treatment, compromise patient safety, and increase healthcare costs. Understanding the causes of these rejections is essential for quality improvement. Objectives This study aimed to determine specimen rejection rates during the preanalytical phase and to explore nurses’ experiences related to these rejections. Methods A mixed-methods design was used. In the quantitative phase, one-year retrospective data were collected from the microbiology and biochemistry laboratories of a university hospital. In the qualitative phase, individual in-depth interviews were conducted with nurses working in clinics with the highest rejection rates. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate qualitative data. Results A total of 14,290 specimens were rejected in the biochemistry laboratory and 4,220 in the microbiology laboratory. The most frequent reasons for rejection were insufficient volume, hemolysis, and coagulation. Three main themes emerged from the interviews: [1] challenges in the preanalytical process [2], contributing factors to errors, and [3] emotional impact on nurses. Nurses highlighted issues such as lack of institutional support, inadequate training, patient cooperation difficulties, communication gaps, and stressful work environments. Emotional consequences included frustration, fatigue, and anxiety. Conclusion Preanalytical errors result from a combination of institutional, interpersonal, and environmental factors. These errors not only affect lab performance but also harm nurses’ psychological well-being. Interventions should aim to improve workflow, enhance training, and offer emotional support to reduce rejection rates and promote patient safety. Clinical trial registration Not applicable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-856749682c8b498a9f04e11ab67ce3dd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6955 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Nursing |
| spelling | doaj-art-856749682c8b498a9f04e11ab67ce3dd2025-08-20T03:37:20ZengBMCBMC Nursing1472-69552025-07-0124111210.1186/s12912-025-03426-wEvaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses’ experiences: a mixed design studyYasemin Güner0Elif Kılıç Güner1Melek Üçüncüoğlu2Harun Yüksel3Faculty of Nursing, Karadeniz Technical UniversityFaculty of Nursing, Karadeniz Technical UniversityInstitute of Social Sciences, Avrasya UniversityFaculty of Nursing, Karadeniz Technical UniversityAbstract Background The preanalytical phase is considered the most error-prone part of laboratory testing and significantly contributes to medical errors. Specimen rejections during this phase can delay diagnosis and treatment, compromise patient safety, and increase healthcare costs. Understanding the causes of these rejections is essential for quality improvement. Objectives This study aimed to determine specimen rejection rates during the preanalytical phase and to explore nurses’ experiences related to these rejections. Methods A mixed-methods design was used. In the quantitative phase, one-year retrospective data were collected from the microbiology and biochemistry laboratories of a university hospital. In the qualitative phase, individual in-depth interviews were conducted with nurses working in clinics with the highest rejection rates. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate qualitative data. Results A total of 14,290 specimens were rejected in the biochemistry laboratory and 4,220 in the microbiology laboratory. The most frequent reasons for rejection were insufficient volume, hemolysis, and coagulation. Three main themes emerged from the interviews: [1] challenges in the preanalytical process [2], contributing factors to errors, and [3] emotional impact on nurses. Nurses highlighted issues such as lack of institutional support, inadequate training, patient cooperation difficulties, communication gaps, and stressful work environments. Emotional consequences included frustration, fatigue, and anxiety. Conclusion Preanalytical errors result from a combination of institutional, interpersonal, and environmental factors. These errors not only affect lab performance but also harm nurses’ psychological well-being. Interventions should aim to improve workflow, enhance training, and offer emotional support to reduce rejection rates and promote patient safety. Clinical trial registration Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03426-wError preventionPreanalytical phasePatient safetyNursingMedical error |
| spellingShingle | Yasemin Güner Elif Kılıç Güner Melek Üçüncüoğlu Harun Yüksel Evaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses’ experiences: a mixed design study BMC Nursing Error prevention Preanalytical phase Patient safety Nursing Medical error |
| title | Evaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses’ experiences: a mixed design study |
| title_full | Evaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses’ experiences: a mixed design study |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses’ experiences: a mixed design study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses’ experiences: a mixed design study |
| title_short | Evaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses’ experiences: a mixed design study |
| title_sort | evaluation of specimen rejection rates in the preanalytical phase and nurses experiences a mixed design study |
| topic | Error prevention Preanalytical phase Patient safety Nursing Medical error |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03426-w |
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