What should a phlebotomist do before beginning a blood draw?

Prior to commencing a blood draw, confirming the patient’s identity is crucial for ensuring accuracy and safety in the phlebotomy process. This step involves verifying the patient’s name and date of birth against their identification and the laboratory requisition form. It helps prevent errors such as drawing samples from the wrong patient, which can lead to misdiagnosis, inappropriate treatments, or other serious consequences.

Checking the patient's medication history, ensuring fasting, or gathering additional staff support may be necessary depending on the situation, but these actions do not directly address the fundamental requirement of patient identification. Confirming identity underscores the importance of patient safety and accuracy in the healthcare setting, which is the foremost priority in any clinical procedure.