Improving Diagnostic Workflows Through Nurse–Laboratory Collaboration: A Systematic Review of Process and Patient Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Effective diagnostic workflows depend on coordinated interactions between nursing staff and clinical laboratory professionals across the testing process. Communication gaps, unclear responsibilities, and inconsistent specimen-management practices may contribute to pre-analytical errors, delayed laboratory results, repeated specimen collection, and potential patient-safety risks. Strengthening nurse–laboratory collaboration may therefore represent an important strategy for improving diagnostic quality and workflow efficiency.
Objective: This systematic review aims to evaluate the impact of nurse–laboratory collaboration on diagnostic workflow processes and patient-related outcomes in healthcare settings.
Methods: The review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines. Relevant studies will be identified through systematic searches of major healthcare and multidisciplinary databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligible studies will examine collaboration, communication, coordination, shared protocols, education, or quality-improvement initiatives involving nursing and laboratory professionals. Outcomes of interest will include specimen quality, pre-analytical errors, specimen rejection, turnaround time, diagnostic delays, communication effectiveness, patient safety, and clinical outcomes. Methodological quality will be assessed using appropriate critical appraisal tools, and findings will be synthesized narratively where heterogeneity prevents meta-analysis.
Conclusion: This review is expected to clarify how nurse–laboratory collaboration contributes to diagnostic workflow performance and identify evidence gaps and strategies for improving interdisciplinary practice and patient safety.