ASCP Phlebotomy Technician Certification Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive All-in-One Study Guide for Success!

One reason for specimen rejection related to unnecessary mixing of the specimen is that the specimen is hemolyzed. Hemolysis occurs when red blood cells are damaged and release hemoglobin into the plasma. This can happen due to excessive shaking or vigorous mixing of a blood sample, which is often done to mix additives in collection tubes. Hemolyzed specimens can lead to inaccurate test results, as many laboratory tests are sensitive to the presence of free hemoglobin and other cellular components that can interfere with the analysis. Therefore, a hemolyzed specimen is rejected to ensure that accurate and reliable results are obtained.

The other choices involve different issues: contamination pertains to the introduction of extraneous substances, underfilling relates to insufficient sample volume, and mislabeling involves errors in identifying the specimen. Each of these can lead to rejection as well but is not specifically related to unnecessary mixing.