Do you ever get blood collection tubes sent down to your lab that look like this? Do you have to constantly re-label your specimens because your barcodes won’t scan and the text is hard to read or even unidentifiable? Ever wonder how to correctly and easily align a blood tube label?
Misaligned Labels Increase the Risk of Specimen Identification Errors
Properly lining up and wrapping labels around such thin, small collection tubes can be a complicated and frustrating process, especially when staff are in a hurry, or is unaware of the importance of proper alignment. Unfortunately, the result is often misaligned, improperly labeled samples. Improper labeling reduces workflow efficiency and productivity, resulting in additional time, work, and money spent on re-labeling or manual verification. Even more critical, however, is the harmful impact misaligned labels have on patient safety and quality of care, increasing the risk of patient ID errors. According to the College of American Pathologists (CAP), approximately 169,000 adverse events occur in U.S. hospitals annually due to sample identification errors, with 55% of all specimen ID errors stemming from a primary specimen labeling error.
Misaligned labels can also cause:
- Inability to scan barcodes
- Readability errors with analyzers
- Patient sample re-draws, reducing patient satisfaction
Simple Solution for Accurate Labeling & Identification
V-Notch™ Secondary Labels provide quick, easy, and accurate identification of BD Vacutainer® Plus Plastic Tubes, increasing accurate specimen identification and ensuring an optimal experience for clinicians and patients alike. Laboratory staff love V-Notch™ Secondary Labels because they complement training when demonstrating to staff why it’s important to align labels correctly on test tubes.
The V-shaped notch aligns with the color-coded notch and sidebar to provide:
- Consistent & Easy Labeling Guides
- Accurate & Reliable Barcode Scanning
- Operational Efficiencies That Save Time & Money
- Increased Clinician Satisfaction & Patient Safety
- Quicker Test Results
3 Easy Steps to Get Your Blood Tube Labels Looking Perfectly Aligned!
This simple label hack will not only reduce expenses and increase efficiency; it will allow you to focus on what matters most to you — accurate patient identification and patient safety.
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