Required section · Section 5 of 6

Your call: what fires, what it means, what you do

You are handed the 11:00 run described above: low control 104.4 U/L (+2.2 SD), high control 104.6 U/L (+2.3 SD), under the locally selected rule set (1_2s warning; 1_3s, 2_2s, R_4s, 4_1s, 10x rejection; R_4s within-run only, 2_2s/4_1s/10x carried across runs). A colleague suggests simply rerunning both controls until a pair passes, then releasing the queued patient results. You need to identify which rule actually fires, what error class it points to, and the defensible next step, not the shortcut.

Work through it in order: identify the rules met by this pattern, decide whether the run is rejected or only warned, decide which error class it is most consistent with, then apply the case's decision sequence. The local procedure determines the operational detail and escalation route.

The point of the repeat-until-pass shortcut is that it can look successful: a later control pair might land inside range purely by chance, especially with random noise near a threshold. That apparent success does not investigate or correct anything, and it leaves the interval between the last acceptable QC and the failure completely unreviewed, including any patient results released in it. Documentation would show only passing controls, not the underlying event.

A control run that eventually passes after several reruns without investigation tells you the instrument produced one acceptable number, not that the earlier failure has been explained, corrected, or accounted for.

Three decision boundaries: immediate hold and patient-result triage for rejected QC, successful verification before final closure, and escalation while QC remains unresolved. The figure does not state the case's full corrective-action order. — Figure 1Corrective-action boundaries: hold and begin initial patient-result triage immediately; close only after successful verification; unresolved QC escalates under the current procedure.

Timeline from last acceptable QC at 07:00 to detected rejection at 11:00, marking three patient results in the interval without stating their review disposition; the learner must route them through the current procedure. — Figure 2Patient-impact scenario: decide which results from the interval need review and disposition under the current procedure.

Ordering exercise

Put the case-specific corrective-action decisions in order. The current procedure controls local detail and escalation.

1. Verify

Verify the correction with required controls; repeated failure triggers escalation.
2. Close and document

After successful verification, complete documentation and closure.
3. Hold further release

Immediately hold further release from the affected interval.
4. Correct

Correct an identified condition; if QC cannot be restored, keep the hold and escalate.
5. Begin patient-result triage

Start review and disposition triage immediately, including already released results under the current lookback route.
6. Assess the event

Confirm the rule pattern and scope the investigation.
7. Investigate

Check likely contributors; escalate if the cause remains unresolved.

Knowledge checks

Reading and checks are open. Sign in only to save.

Knowledge check 1

A colleague reruns the 11:00 controls three times and, on the third attempt, both pass. They release the held patient results without further action. What is the problem with this approach?

Choose one option.

It skips investigation and correction of the original failure, and it leaves the patient-result review interval unassessed.

There is no problem; a passing control result after a rerun confirms the system is working.

The only problem is that it was not documented; the corrective action itself was adequate.

Knowledge check 2

Which statement best distinguishes the immediate patient-result response from final event closure after a QC rejection?

Choose one option.

Hold further release and begin patient-result triage immediately; complete final disposition and closure documentation only after successful verification.

Wait until every investigation step is complete before holding results or beginning patient-result triage.

Close the event and finalize every patient-result disposition before verification confirms acceptable QC.

Section status

Finish this section

Reading and checks are open. Sign in only to save.

The module finishes after every required section is marked done and every check in those sections is correct.