Basic Knowledge

Question 1

Weights/Measures

Answer 1

Prefixes
• Deci (10-1)
• Centi (10-2)
• Milli (10-3)
• Micro (10-6)
• Nano (10-9)
• Pico (10-12)
• Femto (10-15)

Question 2

Temperature Conversions

Answer 2

Celsius: (5/9)*(F - 32)

Fahrenheit: (9/5)*C + 32

Kelvin: C + 273

Question 3

Concentrations

Answer 3

(% of what you have) X (end amount you need) = required amount of particular solid or liquid
• Weight/Weight (w/w)
• Make 100 grams of a 5% (w/w) solution of HCL
• (5g/100g) X 100g = 5 g of HCL

• Weight/Volume (w/v)
• Make 1000 mL of a 10% (w/v) solution of NaOH
• (10g/100g) X 1000mL = 100g NaOH
• Volume/Volume (v/v)
• Make 50 mL of a 2% (v/v) solution of HCl
• (2mL/100mL) X 50mL = 1 mL HCl

Question 4

Chain of Custody

Answer 4

The documentation (paper trail) associated with a specimen that
shows the:
• Collection
• Custody/control
• Transfer
• Analysis
• Disposition

Question 5

Reflex Testing

Answer 5

A secondary test run on a specimen
• Performed when an initial result is abnormal/outside of the
acceptable range
• Automatically initiated by the laboratory for certain test results
• Positive RPR: Quantitative RPR and TP-PA/Syphilis Confirmatory test
• Positive HIV Ab Screen: HIV Confirmatory test
• Positive HBsAg screen: HBsAg Confirmatory test

Question 6

Levels of Testing

Answer 6

Will be discussed further in QA/QC unit
• Three levels:
• Waived
• Moderate Complexity
• High Complexity
• Determined by FDA
• Staffing requirements based on level of tests performed in lab

Question 7

Laboratory Director

Answer 7

Federal Regulations (all laboratories: public health, clinical, etc…)
• Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §493.1443 Standard
• The laboratory director must be:
• qualified to manage and direct the laboratory personnel and performance of high complexity
tests
• eligible to be an operator of a laboratory within the requirements of subpart R.

Question 8

Technical Consultant

Answer 8

Individuals qualified by education and training/experience to provide
technical consultation for each of the moderate complexity tests/procedures
• Laboratory directors may function as technical consultants
Possess a current license issued by the state and one of the following:
• Hold a doctoral or master’s degree in chemical, physical, biological or clinical lab science and
have at least one year of training/experience in non-waived testing in the designated
specialty/subspecialty
• Hold a bachelor’s degree in chemical, physical or biological sciences and have at least two
years of training/experience in non-waived testing in the designated specialty/subspecialty

Question 9

General/Technical Supervisors

Answer 9

Individuals who, under the direction of the Lab Director, provide day to day
supervision of testing personnel and reporting of test results.
Individuals serving as General/Technical Supervisors must:
• Possess a current license issued by the state
• Be qualified as one of the following:
• Laboratory Director
• Technical Supervisor
• Testing personnel with at least two years of experience in high complexity testing

Question 10

Testing Personnel

Answer 10

Individuals must:
• Possess a current license issued by the state and have earned a doctoral, master’s or
bachelor’s degree in a chemical, physical, biological or clinical laboratory science

• PPM procedures must be performed:
• By physician, practitioner or dentist
• During a patient’s visit on a specimen collected from the patient
• Using a bright-field or phase contrast microscope

Question 11

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

Answer 11

Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities (present, past or
perceived) in several areas (employment, transportation, public
accommodations, communications and access to state and local government
programs and services).
• As it relates to employment, Title I of the ADA protects the rights of both
employees and job seekers.
• Requires employers to provide a qualified candidate or employee with a reasonable
accommodation
• Defines qualified employee as one who can perform the essential function of the job
with or without reasonable accommodation

Question 12

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC):

Answer 12

Responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate
against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color,
religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation),
national origin, age, disability or genetic information. It is also illegal to
discriminate against a person because the person complained about
discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an
employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
• Most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (20
employees in age discrimination cases). Most labor unions and employment
agencies are also covered.
• The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing,
promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.

Question 13

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):

Answer 13

Is a federal law which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility,
recordkeeping, and child labor standards affecting full-time and part-time
workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.
• Classifies employees as non-exempt (hourly) and exempt (salaried)

Question 14

Civil Rights Act

Answer 14

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1963 prohibits discrimination based on race,
color, creed, religion, national origin, and sex
• Title VII (amended) prohibits discrimination to include persons with
disabilities, Vietnam veterans and persons between 40 – 70 years old

Question 15

Workman’s Compensation:

Answer 15

Form of insurance that provides compensation medical care for employees who are
injured in the course of employment, in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of
the employee’s right to sue his/her employer for the tort of negligence
• OWCP (Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs) administers four major disability
compensation programs which provides to workers (or their dependents) who are
injured at work or acquire an occupational disease:
• Wage replacement benefits
• Medical treatment
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Other benefits
• These entities serve the specific employee groups who are covered under the
relevant statutes and regulations by mitigating the financial burden resulting from
workplace injury.
• Compensation can be made for economic loss (present and future), reimbursement
or payment of medical expenses, and benefits payable to the dependents of workers
killed during employment

Question 16

Unemployment Compensation:

Answer 16

Unemployment Insurance (UI) is a federal-state program created to provide partial
wage replacement to unemployed workers while they conduct an active search for
new work.
• Based on federal law, but administered through state law.
• Depending on jurisdiction, reimbursement may be meager or may be proportional to
previous earned salary

• Employers finance the UI program by tax contributions.
• In California, the Employment Development Department (EDD) administers the UI
program according to guidelines established by the UI Code and the California Code
of Regulations, Title 22.
• Payments are made directly to the individual to help ensure that at least some of
life’s necessities such as food, shelter and clothing can be met while looking for work.
• The UI program benefits the individual and the local community.
• For the most part, UI benefits are spent in the local community, which helps sustain the
economic well-being of local businesses.

Question 17

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA):

Answer 17

A federal law that guarantees certain employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year
with no threat of job loss.
• FMLA also requires that employers covered by the law maintain the health benefits for
eligible workers just as if they were working.
• Only those employers that reach the minimum requirements must comply with FMLA.
• All public agencies must follow FMLA rules, including State, Federal and local employers, as well as
schools.
• For private employers, FMLA applies to those employers who employed 50 or more employees for at
least 20 work weeks during either this year or the previous year.

• Eligibility: employee must work for a covered employer and the employee must work for the
employer for a minimum of 12 months, and at least 1,250 hours during those 12 months,
before taking leave under FMLA. Third, the employee’s job must take place at a location
where at least 50 employees work, or within 75 miles of such a location.
• Covered employers must grant FMLA leave for the following situations:
• The employee cannot work because of a serious medical condition
• The employee must care for an immediate family member that has a serious medical condition
• The birth and/or subsequent care of the employee’s child
• The placement and/or subsequent care of an adopted or foster care child.

Question 18

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA):

Answer 18

A law passed by the U.S. Congress that mandates an insurance program which
gives some employees the ability to continue health insurance coverage for
18 to 36 months upon certain qualifying events
• Retirement
• Resignation
• Lay-off
• Employment status change (full to part-time)
• Other events (not gross misconduct)
• Spouses and dependent children are entitled to same coverage
• Employers may charge up to 102% of the premium
• Employees have up to 60 days after the qualifying event to accept the COBRA
offer