Clin Path 1 Flashcards
What is an aerosol?
Airborne drops of liquid
Aerosols can include various substances, such as medications or pollutants.
What are universal precautions?
Safety equipment and PPE, e.g., OSHA requirements
Universal precautions are designed to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases.
What does HEPA stand for?
High-efficiency particulate air
HEPA filters are used to trap particles that are 0.3 microns or larger.
What is negative pressure?
Less air pressure than exterior
Negative pressure environments are used in laboratories to prevent contamination.
What is an autoclave?
An instrument that uses moist heat at greater than atmospheric pressure to sterilize equipment
Commonly used to sterilize surgical instruments.
What does CHP stand for? (clin path safety)
Chemical Hygiene Plan
A CHP outlines procedures for safely handling chemicals in the laboratory.
What are the points of equivalence in temperature?
Absolute zero K = −273° C = −459.4° F, −40° C = −40° F, 0° C = 32° F
These points are critical for understanding temperature scales.
What is polycythemia?
An increase in the number of circulating red blood cells
This condition can lead to increased blood viscosity.
What does OSHA stand for?
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHA sets and enforces standards to ensure workplace safety.
What is spectrophotometry?
Light of a specific wavelength is passed through the sample
Used to measure the concentration of solutes in a solution.
Define accuracy in clinical pathology.
The ability of a test to approximate the actual value
Accuracy is crucial for ensuring reliable test results.
Define precision in clinical pathology.
The reproducibility of a test result
Precision indicates the consistency of test outcomes.
What is anemia?
A decrease in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, usually due to decreased numbers of circulating RBCs
Anemia can result from various factors, including nutritional deficiencies.
What does MCV stand for?
Mean corpuscular volume
MCV is used to classify anemias based on red blood cell size.
What does PCV stand for?
Packed cell volume, also known as hematocrit
PCV measures the proportion of blood volume occupied by red blood cells.
What is RDW?
Red cell distribution width
RDW indicates the variation in red blood cell size and is useful in diagnosing different types of anemia.
What is an International Unit?
The amount of enzyme that will catalyze the conversion of 1 micromole of substrate per minute under specific assay conditions
It standardizes enzyme activity measurements.
What are controls in clinical pathology?
Biological materials used in quality assurance programs and nonbiological materials used to calibrate equipment
Controls ensure the accuracy and reliability of laboratory tests.
How is pH defined?
The negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration of a solution
A lower pH indicates higher acidity, while a higher pH indicates alkalinity.
What is the ideal airflow direction in laboratories?
Air should move from lower to higher risk areas.
What is the recommended pressure condition for laboratories?
Laboratories should be under negative pressure and not recirculated.
What personal protective equipment (PPE) is recommended for laboratory work?
Coats, masks, no contacts unless safety goggles.
What solutions can be used for decontaminating surfaces?
- 70% ethanol
- 0.5% solution of sodium hypochlorite (dilute bleach)
How long should surfaces be decontaminated?
Minimum of 10 minutes.
What should be done to equipment after use in the laboratory?
Wiped down with disinfectant.
What must be accessible to all employees in the clinical laboratory area?
Written laboratory safety policies.
What is a common procedure in clinical laboratories regarding staff education?
Most have a procedure for training and retraining.
What are the three main types of hazard controls?
- Engineering controls
- Administrative controls
- Procedural controls
What do engineering controls focus on?
Building/structural safety.
What do administrative controls involve?
Creation of specific protocols to minimize worker exposure to hazards.
What is the purpose of procedural controls?
Development of policies that modify worker behavior.
What are the four biosafety levels in clin path?
1, 2, 3, and 4 (I, II, III, IV)
Each level corresponds to the risk associated with the agents handled.
What characterizes biosafety level I in clin path?
Agents that ordinarily do not cause disease in humans.
This level includes microorganisms that are not known to cause disease in healthy adults.
What defines biosafety level II in clin path?
Agents that ordinarily do not cause disease in humans.
This level includes moderate-risk agents that may cause disease but are not transmitted via aerosols.
What are the risks associated with biosafety level III in clin path?
Substances that can cause serious and potentially lethal diseases.
This includes pathogens that are transmitted through aerosols and may cause severe illness.
What distinguishes biosafety level IV in clin path?
Agents pose a high risk of causing life-threatening diseases.
This level includes the most dangerous pathogens for which there are no treatments or vaccines.
What is Category A in shipping in clin path?
More dangerous
Category A refers to infectious substances that pose a significant risk to public health.
What is Category B in shipping in clin path?
Less dangerous
Category B includes substances that do not meet the criteria for Category A.
What does SI stand for in measurement in clin path?
International System of Units
SI units are used globally for scientific measurements.
How many types of measurements are designated in the SI units in clin path?
Seven
The seven types are length, mass, time, electric current, temperature, luminosity, and quantity.
What SI unit is used for mass in veterinary medicine?
Kilograms (KG)
Mass is a critical measurement in veterinary practices.
What SI unit is used for temperature in veterinary medicine?
Kelvin
Temperature measurement is essential for assessing animal health.
What SI unit is used for quantity in veterinary medicine?
Moles
This unit is used in various calculations involving substances in veterinary science.
What determines the total magnification of an object being viewed through a microscope?
The total magnification is determined by multiplying the magnification of the ocular lens by the magnification of the objective lens in use.
The ocular lens usually has a magnification of 10×.
What is the ocular lens in a microscope?
The lens you look into.
It is part of the microscope that provides the initial magnification.
What are the types of objective lenses typically found in a microscope?
- Scanning lens, normally 4× magnification
- Low-power lens, normally 10× magnification
- High-power lens, normally 40× magnification
- Oil immersion lens, normally 100× magnification
- (sometimes also a 50X low oil)
These lenses allow for varying levels of magnification to view samples.
What is the function of the stage in a microscope?
Holds the slide.
The stage supports the specimen being observed.
What does the substage condenser control do in a microscope?
It is used to raise and lower the stage to allow light to be focused through the sample.
This adjustment helps in achieving optimal illumination.
What is the purpose of the aperture diaphragm in a microscope?
Controls the amount of light illuminating the object.
Proper light adjustment is crucial for clear visualization of samples.
What are the two types of focus adjustments available on a microscope?
- Coarse focus
- Fine focus
These adjustments allow for precise focusing on the specimen.
What is a stage micrometer?
A microscope slide etched with a 2-mm line marked in 0.01-mm (10-µm) divisions.
It is used for calibrating the microscope.
What is the primary function of a centrifuge?
Separates solutions according to their densities.
This is typically used for urine samples in laboratory settings.
What are the two types of heads found in centrifuges?
- Fixed-angle head
- Swinging-arm (horizontal) head
Each type has different operational characteristics and efficiencies.
What are the disadvantages of a swinging-arm head in a centrifuge?
- Air friction causes heat buildup
- Some remixing of the sediment with the supernatant may occur when the specimen cups fall back to the vertical position
These factors can affect the accuracy of the separation process.
What is a characteristic feature of a fixed-angle head in a centrifuge?
It operates at higher speeds and usually accommodates just one tube size.
The angle is typically approximately 52 degrees.
What must be regularly checked for maintenance in a centrifuge?
- Brushes (small pieces of graphite)
- Speed tests
Regular maintenance ensures the centrifuge operates effectively and safely.
Fill in the blank: A centrifuge must be _______ to function properly.
balanced
What does a refractometer measure?
Total solids through refraction of light, specific gravity of urine samples, and total protein content of fluid samples
Includes cytology and serum samples.
What should be used to clean the glass prism area of a refractometer?
Lens tissue
Avoid using other materials to prevent damage.
How often should a refractometer be calibrated?
Weekly
Calibration can be verified with distilled water (zero reading).
What is the purpose of histograms in chemistry and hematology analyzers?
Provide a visual representation of the numbers and sizes of the cells present in a sample.
What principle do chemistry analyzers generally use?
Spectrophotometry
Based on Beer’s law.
What does Beer’s law state?
A direct linear relationship exists between the concentration of an analyte and light absorption.
What are the components of a spectrophotometer?
Light source, prism, wavelength selector, photodetector, readout device.
What type of analyzers use ion-specific electrodes?
Some chemistry analyzers for evaluating electrolytes and other ions in the blood.
What are the two methods chemistry assays may use?
End point or kinetic (enzymes) methods.
What are the three types of hematology analyzers?
Impedance analyzers, laser-based analyzers, buffy coat analyzers.
How do impedance analyzers classify cells?
By measuring the change in current as cells pass through an aperture.
What do laser-based analyzers classify cells based on?
Size and density of the cells.
What is the primary use of buffy coat analyzers?
Provide only an estimate of the cell count.
What is the constant temperature maintained by incubators?
37°C
Used for culture and sensitivity testing.
What is the purpose of a water bath or heat block?
To maintain a constant temperature of 37°C for tests and blood-banking procedures.
What are the types of pipettes mentioned?
TD pipettes, TC pipettes, transfer pipettes.
What do TD pipettes do?
Designed to deliver a specific volume.
What is the difference between TC pipettes and TD pipettes?
TC pipettes are designed to contain microliter volumes.
What is a critical aspect of quality assurance in veterinary laboratories?
Equipment maintenance must be included in quality-control programs.
What are the three standards for clinical pathology?
Accuracy, precision, reliability.
Define accuracy in the context of clinical pathology.
How closely results agree with the true quantitative value.
What does precision refer to in clinical pathology?
The magnitude of random errors and the reproducibility of measurements.
What does reliability indicate in a method?
The ability to be accurate and precise.
What are the three types of variables that can affect test results?
Preanalytic, analytic, postanalytic.
What are preanalytic variables?
Biologic and nonbiologic variables that affect sample collection and handling.
What can affect analytic variables?
The procedure by which the analyte is measured.
What are postanalytic factors primarily related to?
Data entry and record keeping.
