A medical assistant has orders to collect blood cultures, a CBC, a prothrombin time (PT), and an iron panel. They forget to draw for the PT. Which of the following actions should the assistant take?

The appropriate course of action in this scenario is to keep the specimens that have already been collected and draw the prothrombin time (PT). Maintaining the previously collected specimens is crucial, as they may still be necessary for the patient's diagnosis and treatment. Discarding everything and starting over could lead to unnecessary delays in patient care, additional discomfort for the patient, and potential issues with specimen integrity if not properly handled for storage.

By proceeding with the PT draw, the medical assistant ensures that all ordered tests are completed without unnecessarily jeopardizing the valuable specimens already collected. This action aligns with the principles of efficient patient care and ensures that the patient’s clinical needs are addressed promptly.

Contacting the provider for further instructions may lead to unnecessary delays or confusion, while documenting the oversight and proceeding without the PT would leave a critical component of the testing incomplete, which could negatively impact patient management.