When QC results indicate a problem, which action must be documented?

• A. Document remedial action
• B. Recalibrate instrument
• C. Notify patient
• D. Ignore the failure

Answer: (A)

When quality control results indicate a problem, the critical practice is to document the corrective or remedial action taken. This creates a traceable record that shows what happened, what was done to investigate and fix the issue, and the outcome to confirm the problem is resolved. Documentation ensures accountability, supports compliance with QA standards, and helps prevent recurrence. While the remedial action might include steps like recalibration or instrument maintenance, the key requirement is recording the action and its result. Notifying the patient isn’t a standard step for QC failures, and ignoring the failure would be unsafe and noncompliant.