Accreditation & Quality Assurance (Exam 1) Flashcards
What is accreditation?
An agency with a team of qualified people who come to the lab and see if it follows national standards i.e. staying up-to-date on standards and quality
Who will the accreditation body usually consist of (HINT: 3 people)?
1 leader, 2 assistants
How many days are you given to correct your errors if you fail accreditation?
90
What does the ASCLD-LAB stand for?
American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors - Lab Accreditation Board
What does the NFSTC stand for?
National Forensic Science Technology Center
What is the job of the NFSTC?
To audit labs
What does ANAB stand for?
ANSI National Accreditation Board
What does ANSI stand for?
American National Standards Institute
What is the ASQ?
American Society for Quality
What is the FQS?
Forensic Quality Services
For what 3 reasons are most labs accreditated?
By mandate, voluntarily, or in need of funding
What are the 4 steps of the accreditation process?
1) Application
2) Procedures and policies
3) QA manuals
4) Fees
How many years does accreditation last?
5
What is quality assurance?
Saying what you’re gonna do (the plan)
What is quality control?
Actually doing what you said (the execution w/ results)
Lab-wide quality manuals address { } units.
All
Unit-wide quality manuals address { } unit.
One particular
What 3 manuals will you find in a serology lab?
Procedures, training, and quality control
What does a proficiency test do?
Makes sure workers are competent
How many times per year might a proficiency test be issued?
Once or twice
What are 4 types of proficiency tests?
Internal, external, blind, and known
Why are known proficiency tests preferred?
Because they are easy to administer
Why are blind proficiency tests not preferred (2 reasons)?
They are not easy to administer and an unknown person’s DNA may be entered into CODIS
What is the most popular proficiency test administrator?
Collaborative Testing Services (CTS)
