Term | Definition |
Medical laboratories perform vast array of tests that assist providers with what? | Diagnosing; treating; following progression of Pts with acute and/or chronic illness. |
What are examples of conditions we follow progression of? | Diabetes; hypertension; cholesterol |
Rationale for laboratory testing: | Determine baseline values; legal purposes; pathological conditions (screening); confirm clinical diagnosis; obtain differential diagnosis; assess Tx options and Pt progress |
A Pt that is not presenting with any symptoms at all would be called? | Asymptomatic |
What is CLIA '88? | Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment -- created to protect Pts by establishing safety policies and procedures. |
What types of labs must register with CLIA? | Every single lab regardless of its size or the nature of testing performed. |
Quality Control | Procedures designed to ensure the accuracy and precision of lab tests and to discover and eliminate human error. |
Quality Assurance | Set of policies and procedures designed to ensure accuracy and reliability of lab tests and include: QC; Orientation; Documentation in QC Log; Maintenance and Temp Checks; Check Exp. Dates; Proficiency Tests |
Testing Categories: | Waived Tests (low complexity); Moderate Complexity Tests; High Complexity Tests |
Waived Tests/Low Complexity | Simple to perform; require minimum of QC, judgement, interpretation and documentation (i.e. pregnancy, sugar/glucose, cholesterol, ESR) |
Moderate Complexity | Requires formal training, an understanding of test methodology, QC, instrument calibration, proficiency testing, record keeping (i.e. urine sedimentation, fecal leukocytes, direct wet mounts, semen analysis) |
High Complexity | Usually performed in labs subject to federal regulations. Requires high level of education and experience. (i.e. pap smears/cytology, histology, cytogenetics) |
Which tests are most MA's likely to be performing? | Waive Tests |
Which tests make up approx. 75% of all testing? | Moderate Complexity |
Which testing will an MA never perform? | High Complexity |
What types of laboratories are there? | Reference; Procurement (aka Satellite); POL; POCT; Hospital |
Reference labs | Independent lab provides service to large region and performs most routine lab testing. |
Procurement/Satellite labs | Exists solely for specimen collection, usually by venipuncture |
POL | Physician's Office Lab performs waived-moderate testing and can range in size from small to very large. |
POCT | Point of Care Testing that is performed beside/near the Pt. |
Hospital labs | Lab within hospital. The larger the hospital, the larger the lab. |
Assay | Test |
Laboratory Departments | Urinalysis; Hematology; Immunology; Clinical Chemistry; Microbiology; Cytology; Histology; Blood Bank |
Urinalysis Dept. | Study of Urine |
Hematology Dept. | Study of Blood |
Immunology Dept. | AKA Serology is the study of the immune system |
Clinical Chemistry Dept. | Study of assays on urine, serum and cerebrospinal fluid, testing for presence and amount of specific chemical substances |
Microbiology Dept. | Grows and identifies microorganisms -- mycology, virology, parasitology are subdivisions |
Medical specialist that studies tissues and body fluids? | Pathologist |
Hazards in the laboratory (3) | Physical; Chemical; Biological |
Physical hazards cautions | Not using extension cords, overloading electrical outlets, use surge protectors, follow manufacturer's directions, etc. |
Chemical hazard precautions | Label all bottles, recap bottles, clean spills, utilize wash stations, etc. |
Biological hazard precautions | Hand washing, follow universal precautions, never eat, drink, apply make up or contact lenses, etc. |
What must accompany every test sent out to a laboratory? | Requisition forms |
Base of microscope | Supports upper components of the microscope |
Arm | Used to carry microscope |
Stage | Large platform that holds specimen |
Illuminator | Base with light bulb, has on/off switch |
Condenser | Under the stage, focuses, directs and concentrates light |
Diaphragm | Within or beneath the condenser, can be opened/closed to increase/decrease the intensity of light (iris) |
Fine tune knobs | Located on either side of the arm, is a knob that can be adjusted to fine tune focus |
Oculars | Eyepiece of the microscope |
Objectives | Lenses (typically 3) attached to revolving nose piece |
Low power objective | Magnifies by power of 10 (10x) |
High power objective | Magnifies by power of 40 (40x) |
Oil immersion objective | Magnifies buy power of 100 (100x) -- drop of immersion oil placed on slide to remove the air and redirect the light straight to the specimen |
Draw order for tubes | Non additives, Yellow, Blue, Reds (3), Green, Lavender, Gray |
Cultures | Always drawn first (prior to tubes if ordered) |
Yellow | Contains ACD (acid citrate dextrose) used for drawing whole blood for special tests |
Blue tubes | Contains Sodium Citrate as anticoagulant used for coagulation studies; tubes must be filled to maintain proper ratio of blood to anticoagulant for valid prothrombin time results. Invert 6-10 times to activate. (PT, PTT, INR) |
Red is broken into 3 categories: | Red, Gold and Marble |
Red (red, gold) | Plain Vacutainer with no anticoagulant for collection of serum chemistry tests as well as clotted blood for immunohematology. Invert 5 times |
Red (marble) | Serum Gel (marble) has clot activator and serum gel separator for various test. Invert and let stand 20-30 min, then centrifuge for 10 min. |
Green | Contains sodium heparin for collection of heparinized plasma or whole blood for special tests. Invert immediately several times to prevent coagulation |
Lavender | Contains EDTA (ethylenediaminetstraacetic-acid) for most hematological procedures. Invert immediately several times to prevent coagulation. (CBC, ESR, Hgb A1C) |
Gray | Contains potassium oxalate as anticoagulant and sodium fluoride as preservative used to preserve glucose in whole blood and for special chemistry tests. Invert immediately several times to prevent coagulation. (GTT -- glucose tolerance testing) |
Color tubes most often drawn by MAs | Blue, Lavender, Gray |