A glucose specimen was forgotten in a phlebotomist's tray. it was discovered 3 hours later?

If a glucose specimen is left at room temperature for 3 hours, it may be subject to glycolysis, where red blood cells consume glucose, potentially leading to falsely low glucose results. It is generally recommended to process glucose samples within 1-2 hours of collection to ensure accuracy. Therefore, the specimen should not be used for testing, and a new sample should be collected for reliable results.