Diagnostic Testing

Diagnostic safety begins before a specimen is collected and continues until the result changes care. The RN verifies the correct patient, test, preparation, timing, specimen, and transport conditions; anticipates risks from contrast, sedation, bleeding, radiation, or interruption of treatment; monitors recovery; recognizes critical results; and closes the communication loop. A technically completed test is not complete nursing care when the patient was poorly prepared, the sample was compromised, or an actionable result was never addressed.