Lab Operations

OSHA requires employers to have policies and procedures regarding precautions to take when working with blood and body fluids. This is called a(n):

• universal precautions plan

• chemical hygiene plan

• exposure control plan

• infectious disease plan

exposure control plan

Which of the following is true of a volumetric pipette:

• blow out the last drop

• is labeled "to contain" (TC)

• is used for diluting control material

• is rinsed out

is used for diluting control material

Under CLIA'88, testing personnel with an associate degree and appropriate training in the clinical lab are authorized to perform:

• waivered tests only

• tests that are qualitative or waivered and some moderate-complexity tests

• waivered and moderate-complexity tests

• waivered, moderate-complexity, and high-complexity tests

waivered, moderate-complexity, and high-complexity tests

The standard operating procedure manual (SOPM) contains all of the follwing except:

• literature references

• control procedures

• reference ranges

• personnel requirements

personnel requirements

Products that may be discharged into a sanitary sewer system and flushed with copious amounts of water include:

• any liquid infectious waste product

• any liquid infectious waste except when designated "from isolation"

• suctioned fluids, urine, and small amounts of unclotted blood

• no infectious waste product should be discharged into a sanitary sewer system

suctioned fluids, urine, and small amounts of unclotted blood

"To deliver" (TD) pipettes are identified by:

• two etched bands near the mouthpiece

• self-draining capacity

• dual-purpose pipette labels

• blue graduation levels

two etched bands near the mouthpiece (blow-outs have only 1 band)

A sample for an arterial blood gas determination should be transported to the lab:

• with routine samples

• packed with ice

• within 8 hours

• via a pneumatic transport system

packed with ice

Which of the following pieces of hardware is an integral component in allowing test orders entered in an HIS to be effectively transmitted to the LIS:

• CPU

• Interface

• Magnetic tape

• Memory

Interface

According to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 (CLIA'88), control of lab test reliability is accomplished by all of the following requirements except:

• professional certification of all testing personnel

• documentation of quality control results and corrective actions

• participation in proficiency testing for all nonwaivered tests

• demonstration that all quantitative tests meet manufacturer's performance specifications

professional certification of all testing personnel

A "dumb" computer terminal can be used to:

• run programs to perform specific tasks at the work station

• accept data entry only if the main computer is operating

• download programs from the main terminal

• store data if the main computer is not operational

accept data entry only if the main computer is operating

The device used for capturing data from instruments and processing them without delay is:

• CPU

• Interface

• Magnetic tape

• Memory

interface

What is the most appropriate term to describe water that is used as a solvent in the clinical laboratory:

• distilled water

• deionized water

• reagent grade water

• tap water

reagent grade water

The function of the condenser on a microscope is to:

• regulate the amount of light passing through the objective

• magnify the image

• reverse the image

• project and center the light through the specimen and objective lens

project and center the light through the specimen and objective lens

The most common deficiency cited during on onsite laboratory inspection by the College of American Pathology (CAP) and the Joint Commision on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is:

• improper documentation

• improper reagent storage

• insufficient work space area

• improper instrument calibration frequency

improper documentation

A small hospital lab employees 8.00 FTEs (full-time equivalents). In order to budget for next year's salaries for these employees, the lab manager needs to submit which figures for the lab's projected annual budget:

• Total paid hours

• Productive (worked) hours

• Total hours of full-time employees

• Total hours of part-time employees

Total paid hours

Chemical such as sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid should be labeled:

• poison

• corrosive

• biohazard

• irritant

corrosive

The air from a chemical hood is:

• recirculated through a HEPA filter

• 30% is recirculated through a HEPA filter and 70% is exhausted to the outside

• totally exhausted from the building

• totally exhausted from the building through a HEPA filter

totally exhausted from the building

While performing a glucose test on an automated analyzer, the MLT receives a delta check warning. This is an example of which the following:

• a pre-analytical function of the LIS

• an analytical function of the LIS

• a pre-analytical function of the HIS

• a post-analytical function of the HIS

an analytical function of the HIS

Which of the following is an aluminum-silicate glass that is at least six times stronger than borosilicate and is resistant to alkaline etching and scratching:

• Kimax

• Pyrex

• Corning boron free

• Corex

Corex

A procedure calls for an incubation of 30⁰C. Your water bath has a thermometer that only reads in degrees Fahrenheit. What should the thermometer read when the water bath is at the correct temperature for this procedure:

• 33⁰F

• 36⁰F

• 62⁰F

• 86⁰F

86⁰F

F = (C × 9/5) + 32

A procedure calls for an incubation of 55⁰F. Your water bath has a thermometer that only reads in degrees Celsius. What should the thermometer read when the water bath is at the correct temperature for this procedure:

• 10⁰C

• 13⁰C

• 23⁰C

• 36⁰C

13⁰C

C = 5/9 x (F - 32)

Which category of personnel is required in laboratories performing tests using high-complexity methodology?

• general supervisor

• clinical consultant

• technical consultant

• director

general supervisor

The College of American Pathologists (CAP) requires that volumetric pipets and flasks be certified as:

• Class A

• Class B

• Class C

• Class D

Class A

An example of a post-analytical function of a lab information system (LIS) is which of the following:

• delta check

• lab report production

• order entry of tests

• patient identification

lab report production

What is the major job-related disease hazard in clinical laboratories that produces symptoms of malaise, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, and abdominal tenderness:

• AIDS

• Salmonella

• Tuberculosis

• Hepatitis

Hepatitis

Which of the following terms identifies the chemical reagent with the highest purity:

• analytic grade

• chemically pure

• technical grade

• commercial grade

analytic grade

Following collection of a fingerstick blood sample and tube centrifugation, hemolysis of the serum is noted. The most likely cause is:

• the presence of alcohol at the site of puncture

• failure to clean the finger before collection

• the use of nonsterile collection materials

• "milking" the finger prior to collection

the presence of alcohol at the site of puncture

With reagard to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) system of labelling hazardous chemicals, the number contained in the blue section of the diamond label represents which of the following hazards:

• health

• flammability

• reactivity

• chemical specific hazards

health = blue

flammability = red

reactivity = yellow

chemical specific hazards = white

11.0 mg/dL of serum calcium is equivalent to which of the following (atomic weight of Ca = 40):

• 2.6 mmol/L

• 2.75 mmol/L

• 2.9 mEq/L

• 3.15 mEq/L

2.75 mmol/L

mg/dL to mmol/L = (volume x 10) / atomic weight

mEq/L = mmol/L x valence charge

A fire extinguisher used in the event of an electrical fire should include which of the following classifications:

• Type A

• Type B

• Type C

• Type D

Type C

A 4.0 mg/dL creatinine standard is needed. To prepare 100 mL of the working standard, how much stock standard of 1 mg/mL creatinine is needed:

• 0.1 mL

• 0.4 mL

• 4 mL

• 40 mL

D - E = CF: (-3) - (-1) = -2

4.0 mg/dL = 0.04 mg/mL

C1V1 = C2V2

0.04 × 100 = 1 x ?

? = 4 mL

Direct laboratory costs for tests include which of the following:

• insurance

• equipment maintenance

• overtime pay

• depreciation

overtime pay

Which of the following terms is used to identify a chemical that causes cancer:

• mutagen

• teratogen

• carcinogen

• reactive

carcinogen

Which of the following has been prohibited from use on anything other than a temporary basis in the lab:

• power strips

• portable floor fans

• extension cords

• multi-outlet boxes

multi-outlet boxes