PMLS LABORATORY

TOPICS 1 TO 9

Infection

a condition that results when a microorganism is able to invade the body, multiply, and cause injury or disease.

Healthcare Associated Infections

apply to infections associated with healthcare delivery in any healthcare setting including home care.

Nosocomial Infection

is a Healthcare Associated Infection acquired in hospitals.

Hand Washing

is referred as the “first line of defense”.

One-minute

How long does routine hand-washing usually takes?

Hand Washing

Referred to be the single most important method for preventing the spread of infection.

Use of alcohol-based antiseptic hand cleansers

Is performed when hand washing facility is not available and hands are not visible soiled.

World Health Organization

WHO

• Before touching a patient

• Before a procedure

• After a procedure or body fluid exposure risk

• After touching a patient

• After contact with objects around the patient

Five Moments for Hand Hygiene

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE stands for…

PPE

It acts as a barrier between infectious materials and your skin, and mucous membrane.

Donning

The wearing of PPE

Doffing

The removing of PPE

Downwards

Direction of hands when rinsing

Mucous Membranes

The part of the body that a face shield and respiratory protects.

Inside-out

What direction shall the sleeves of a laboratory gown be turned during doffing?

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE?

Specimens with no label or mislabeled must not be investigated first before discarding.

Centrifugation

Is a technique designed to utilize centrifugal forces which are greater than the force of gravity to speed up the sedimentation rate of particles.

• Mass

• Speed

• Radius

Centrifugal force depends on these three variables. What are those three?

Relative Centrifugal Force

RCF

Aliquoting

To separate a portion of the whole blood, serum, plasma, or any fluid and placed in a separated tube.

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE?

Always label the aliquot tube.

• Plasma or Serum is the required specimen

• There is no gel separator to separate the serum/plasma from the cells

• Storage and stability

Three reasons why specimens need to be aliquoted.

Blue

What color of evacuated tube is needed to be centrifuged immediately?

Latent fibrin formation

Incomplete clotting results in __________ that can interfere with testing.

30-60 minutes

Required amount of time for specimen to completely clot before centrifugation.

15 minutes

Time required for centrifugation

FALSE

TRUE OR FALSE?

Use bare hands to take the tubes out of the centrifuge machine.

Buffy Coat

Is the fraction of an anticoagulated blood sample that contains most of the leukocytes and thrombocytes following centrifugation.

Tourniquet

A tool used to impede venous blood flow making the veins more easily located because of the blood accumulated.

Hemoconcentration

The increase in ratio of analytes and cellular elements to plasma.

Hemolysis

The destruction of red blood cells.

1 minute

Maximum amount of time that tourniquet must be applied.

2 times

Maximum amount of times that tourniquet must be applied during venipuncture.

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute

CLSI stands for…

3-4 inches

The distance from the site to the location a tourniquet should be applied.

Antecubital Fossa

The preferred site for venipuncture.

• Median Cubital

• Cephalic

• Basilic

The three major veins in the antecubital fossa

Median Cubital

The first vein of choice for venipuncture

Palpation

It is the process of locating veins by sight and by touch.

Veins

These are spongy and resilient tube-like structures which are different from rigid tendons and they do not pulsate which are different from arteries.

70% isopropyl alcohol

Best choice for cleansing the site before puncture

To collect blood samples for laboratory analysis to diagnose and monitor disease

Main function of phlebotomy…?

Phlebotomist

A person who is trained to collect blood samples primarily by venipuncture or microtechniques.

Venipuncture

Most common phlebotomy procedure

Evacuated Tube System

Most common venipuncture method

Evacuated Tube System

Blood is collected directly into the evacuated tube, eliminating the need to transfer samples and minimizing the risk of exposure to biohazards.

Evacuated Tube Method

Consists of a multiple-sample needle

Multiple-sample needle

Type of needle used to puncture the rubber portion of the cap of the collection tube.

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE:

Never perform a procedure for which you have not been trained.

Rubber-sheathed needle

The part of the multiple-sample needle that is inserter on the needle holder or adapter.

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE:

The patient’s arm should be firmly supported and extended downward in a straight line.

FALSE. You may only place the thumb 1 or 2 inches and slightly left on the insertion site.

TRUE OR FALSE:

Place the thumb 4 to 5 inches below and slightly to the left of the insertion site and the four fingers on the back of the arm.

FALSE. Entering the vein too slowly is more painful for the patient and may cause a spurt of blood to appear at the venipuncture.

TRUE OR FALSE:

Entering the vein too slowly doesn’t cause any pain towards the patient, which is why it is recommended to take your time.

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE:

The use of tourniquet can alter some test results by increasing the ratio of cellular elements to plasma (hemoconcentration) and by causing hemolysis.

FALSE. Do not apply pressure when needle is still inside the vein for this may cause further damage.

TRUE OR FALSE:

You can apply pressure when needle is still inside the vein.

Syringe method

It is a type of venipuncture method that is preferred when collecting blood from pediatrics, elderly patients, and from the dorsal hand veins.

FALSE. You should not perform skin puncture to patients with edema, dehydration or peripheral circulation, because specimen integrity and test accuracy may be compromised.

TRUE OR FALSE:

It is recommended to perform skin puncture to patients with edema, dehydration or peripheral circulation.