​Please refer to the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Lab Services Manual to search for test specific information related to the specimen requirements.

• All test requisitions and specimens delivered to the laboratory must meet the defined criteria for:
  
• Identification
  
• Proper labeling of specimen and fully completed requisition
  
• Collection criteria
  
• Transfusion Medicine
  
• Pre-transfusion/pre-transplant testing requires signatures from TWO DIFFERENT persons
• Other test requests- collection signature required
• Transported in accordance with the Transport of Dangerous Goods Regulations
  

• ​The identification on the erquisition and specimen do not match
  
• unlabeled or mislabeled specimens
  
• A specimen that requires approval, that has not been approved by the appropriate Lab Clinical staff
  
• Examples of unsuitable specimens are:
  
• Incorrect specimen collection container
• insufficient specimen quantity
  
• Transported incorrectly
  
• Inadequate fixative
  
• specimen too large for container
  
• Incorrect media
• Specimen stability compromised (i.e. age of specimen, temperature stored)
  
• Any specimen submitted in a manner which could create a health or safety hazard to laboratory personnels is considered unacceptable (e.g. leaking specimens, syringes or blood products with needles attached.)
  
  
• Histocompatibility (HLA) specimens that are unlabeled or mislabeled will not be processed under any circumstances
  
• unsigned HLA requisitions will result in specimen discard
  
• Signature for 'Collected by and identified by' required for all collections
  
• Transfusion Medicine (TML) specimens:
  
• Incomplete and/or unsigned Transfusion Medicine requisitions will result in specimen discard
• Pre-transfusion/pre-transplant Transfusion Medicine requisitions require 2 separate signatures
  
• Other test requests - collection signature required
  
• Pre-transfusion specimens
  
• unlabeled, illegibly-labelled, mislabeled, or inadequately labelled specimens
• Original labeling must be present and visible
  
• Incomplete, inaccurate, or illegible information on the requisition
• Discrepancies between requisition patient information and specimen label information
• Incomplete or missing signatures verifying patient identity
  
• Collected by - required for all collections
• Identified by - required for pre-transfusion tests indicated by * on front of form
• Date and time of collection 
• All other specimens 
• Refer to test specific Lab Services Manual document 
• Provide signatures and/or initials as indicated on the requisition
  

• ​Communication will be provided to the ordering health care professional
  
• Specimens which can be recollected (eg. blood, urine, swabs, etc.) will be discarded and the test cancelled
  
• Specimens which cannot be recollected (eg. CSF, tissue, etc.), collection personnel will be contacted to:
  
• Correct the labelling error or health hazard
• sign a waiver form accepting full responsibility for the indentification of the specimen

In the event where the specimen is non-sufficient, a physician or clinical consult may be required to determine the order of priority for testing where applicable