Patient PreparationQuestion 80 of 100
A patient scheduled for a fasting lipid panel reports drinking black coffee two hours ago. What should the phlebotomist do?
a.Notify the laboratory or provider and document the non-fasting status before collecting or rescheduling
b.Draw the specimen and say nothing since coffee has no calories
c.Send the patient home for a full 24 hour fast
d.Collect the specimen and label it as fasting anyway
Explanation
A fasting specimen typically requires 9 to 12 hours with only water, and coffee stimulates metabolism and can alter results, so the deviation must be reported and documented. Recording a non-fasting sample as fasting falsifies the record and misleads interpretation. Fasting longer than about 12 hours can itself distort results, so a 24 hour fast is not appropriate.
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