General Serology

Question 1

How long can C.Diff samples be left out of fridge for?

Answer 1

4 hours

Question 2

When is LTS2 used?

Answer 2

Needlestick injuries

Question 3

When is LTS11 used?

Answer 3

Transplant and Milk Bank donors

Question 4

When is LTS30 used? (2)

Answer 4

Transplant recipient or Foetal sera

Question 5

What do you do with samples labelled with MKPC test?

Answer 5

Goes to CAT 3 labs on level 7 for deactivation

Question 6

What are the names of our two TRACK machines on level 4?

Answer 6

Mary and Jeff

Question 7

What to do if you get a sample spill on lab coat?

Answer 7

Take off and put into clave on a fabric cycle, clearly marked

Question 8

What serology samples are prioritised? (3)

Answer 8

Donor samples, VZVG (chickenpox) on pregnant pt’s, Cryptococcal (CRCA)

Question 9

When ADDING HIV tests to samples, what must you make sure is clarified / written down beforehand?

Answer 9

Consent for test specifically (legally required)

Question 10

STSS meaning and which COLOUR tops used on

Answer 10

Short Term Serum Save, Gold tops only

Question 11

How do you find out which GP corresponds to a K number?

Answer 11

Search K number under Billing Account Number

Question 12

How do you know which cards to scan?

Answer 12

The ones where the accession numbers do not match and manual enters into Sunquest

Question 13

SEDS meaning and which COLOUR tops used on

Answer 13

Short term EDTA Save, Purple tops only

Question 14

What kind of requests have AHIC, AHBS, ASYP and ZVCM as standard codes?

Answer 14

Antenatal bloods

Question 15

What do you do with samples that have a mixture of Spin and No Spin tests?

Answer 15

Don’t spin until No Spin tests are done, then spin to get serum and do Spin tests

Question 16

What is SSM and info you need to enter

Answer 16

Serology Storage Manager system where serums (NOT antenatals) are stored in freezers, need accession number

Question 17

What do you do if tests have been credited already before receiving?

Answer 17

Make a new day number on Patient ID (previous patient), fill in info and re-enter tests to be done

Question 18

How to enter Occy Health samples?

Answer 18

Patient ID, [location]- (e.g. OCL- for Littlemore), ENTER, fill in yellows to create new day number

Question 19

How to enter GUM samples?

Answer 19

Anonymous so first letter is of location (e.g. M for Milton Keynes), second letter if Male or Female, followed by numbers on card

Question 20

What to enter for “booking bloods”?

Answer 20

Antenatal codes (AHIC, AHBS, ASYP, ZVCM)

Question 21

When is Hep C Genotype added? + code

Answer 21

Only if HCV viral load above threshold of 3.0 (RHCG)

Question 22

What does Aliquot mean?

Answer 22

The transfer of serum from spun samples into clear vials the Track will accept

Question 23

What to do with samples with ONLY STSS?

Answer 23

Spin, aliquot and stored in fridges

Question 24

What to do with Milk Bank samples?

Answer 24

Create a U number (and cross off list) if not on system, location is MB

Question 25

How do antenatal sera get stored in freezer?

Answer 25

Open antenatal spreadsheet in folder and continue to scan into rack (NOT into SSM)

Question 26

What to do with Cryptococcal (CRCA) ONLY samples?

Answer 26

Receive as normal and spin, bring aliquoted sample and card up to reading room, place on second bench and inform staff member working there

Question 27

What to do with Cryptococcal (CRCA) samples with other tests?

Answer 27

Aliquot half of serum after spinning and bring other half in original tube up to reading room, second bench

Question 28

What does LFT stand for?

Answer 28

Liver Function Test

Question 29

Which Biochem test do you ferry back to them immediately as urgent once spotted?

Answer 29

Troponin (heart attack markers)

Question 30

What do you do with RPRA tests?

Answer 30

Only one starting with R that’s NOT a send-away, Spin and fridge storage

Question 31

Do you put LTS codes on EDTAs? + why?

Answer 31

No, they test for current blood conditions after transplants, they will send more samples when needed

Question 32

Which samples get LTS codes?

Answer 32

The ones that have about 12 tests for screening (gold tops)

Question 33

When entering LIQAS samples, why is it important that you create a new day number and not write into an older one?

Answer 33

New sample = new LIQAS number, if it has an entry already then a different sample has already been entered

Question 34

How to tell which test for a sample with a sheet that doesn’t specify?

Answer 34

Inquiry, find an accession number that hasn’t been received yet

Question 35

Key info to ask for when taking DONOR call?

Answer 35

Name, NHS #, DOB, where samples coming from, If We Have Consent

Question 36

Which tests to add onto a “viral screen CMV and EBV” serum?

Answer 36

CMVG, EBNA (“viral” doesn’t just mean molecular)