title: The knowledge and understanding of preanalytical phase among biomedicine students at the University of Zagreb.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The educational program for health care personnel is important for reducing preanalytical errors and improving quality of laboratory test results. The aim of our study was to assess the level of knowledge on preanalytical phase in population of biomedicine students through a cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was sent to students on penultimate and final year of Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry--study of medical biochemistry (FPB), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM) and School of Medicine (SM), University of Zagreb, Croatia, using the web tool SurveyMonkey. Survey was composed of demographics and 14 statements regarding the preanalytical phase of laboratory testing. Comparison of frequencies and proportions of correct answers was done with Fisher's exact test and test of comparison of proportions, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study included 135 participants, median age 24 (23-40) years. Students from FPB had higher proportion of correct answers (86%) compared to students from other biomedical faculties 62%, P < 0.001. Students from FPB were more conscious of the importance of specimen mixing (P = 0.027), prevalence of preanalytical errors (P = 0.001), impact of hemolysis (P = 0.032) and lipemia interferences (P = 0.010), proper choice of anticoagulants (P = 0.001), transport conditions for ammonia sample (P < 0.001) and order of draw during blood specimen collection (P < 0.001), in comparison with students from SM and FVM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students from FPB are more conscious of the importance of preanalytical phase of testing in comparison with their colleagues from other biomedical faculties. No difference in knowledge between penultimate and final year of the same faculty was found.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Chemistry, Medical School University Hospital Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Lora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dukic
authors.affiliation: Medical-biochemical laboratory, Primary Health Care Centre Zagreb- East, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jokic
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Josipa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kules
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pasalic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D019963:Clinical Chemistry Tests / Q000379:methods*; D032882:Comprehension; D017523:Croatia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000592:standards; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: education; preanalytical phase; survey