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NIGER DELTA JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & MEDICAL RESEARCH

A Publication Of Nigeria Medical Association Bayelsa State Branch

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Archive | ISSUE: 128, Volume: Jan-Mar-2025

COMPLIANCE IN COMPLETING LABORATORY REQUEST FORMS IN A PAEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY CLINIC


Author:Wonodi W, Otokunefor O

published date:2025-Mar-13

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Abstract

Background: In developing countries, investigation request forms are still being manually filled by different cadre of doctors thereby making it possible not to completely fill these forms. Returned investigation request forms to a paediatric neurology clinic were audited for their level of completeness.

Methodology: The study was a prospective descriptive one that evaluated the degree of completeness of patient and clinic details of 1194 different laboratory request forms returned to the Paediatric Neurology Clinic over a period of 12 months. The laboratory forms analysed were microbiology, haematology, chemical pathology and serology forms. The forms were assessed for degree of completeness of patient data (surname, name, age, sex, tribe, folder number, department/ward) while clinical details were specimen type, clinical summary/detail/diagnosis, name of requesting doctor, consultant, signature and legibility of the writing).

Results: A total of 1194 forms were analysed over a period of 12 months January 1st 2021 to December 31st 2021. They consisted of 317 Microbiology, 309 Haematology, 237 serology, 243 Chemical Pathology and 88 Histopathology forms. The most completed aspects in the forms were other names (99.7%), surnames (99.4%), sex (98.8%), type of specimen (98.4%) while the writings were legible in 98.6% of forms. The clinical summary was documented in 74.5% of the forms; folder number (63.7%), department/ward (59.3%) name of requesting doctor (48.6%) and signature in 41.7%. Only 1 form was 100% completed while about 44% were at least 70% completed.

Conclusion: Incomplete filling of laboratory request form is still a problem in developing countries. However, our study noted remarkable improvement. Training and retraining of doctors are advised to improve the completeness of filling investigation forms. A compliance team from the laboratory would be beneficial. Physician assistants may also be deployed to assist in complete filling of investigation request forms.

Cite this article: Wonodi W, Otokunefor O. Compliance in completing laboratory request forms in a Paediatric Neurology Clinic. Niger Delta J Med Med Res. 2025;4(1):10–15,

Keywords: Effective communication, Laboratory report, Laboratory request forms, Paediatrics, Paediatric neurology

References

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