MLS LECTURE 3 Flashcards
What are the three stages that labs must be ethical in?
1- Pre-analytical stage
2- Analytical stage
3- Post-analytical stage
What is the pre-analytical stage?
It is the stage that includes anything before processing the samples (aka anything before the analytical stage)
What are things that can be included in the pre-analytical stage?
1- collecting samples
2- collecting data from patients
3- sample receipt
4- sample transport
5- patient instructions
Three things that every lab must know how to do (things regarding or related to ethics):
- Manage data and laboratories
- Safety
- provide great customer service
What is the analytical stage?
is the stage that include the analysis/processing of the samples
Can be included in the analytical stage:
testing and quality controling
What is the post-analytical stage?
everything that comes after the analytical phase
Can be included in the post-analytical stage?
Record keeping
Reports
Reporting
State 4 ethics that falls under the pre-analytical stage:
1- proper identification of the patient or the subject
2- collect the suitable samples using the right equipment and the proper technique
3- Usage of appropriate labeling and identification of the samples so that the proper test is performed
4- handle the samples/specimens appropriately until testing is done
How can u properly identify the patients/subject?
The usage of ID cards and making sure that everything is written well to know every right thing about the patient.
Why should we collect samples by using the right equipment and proper techniques?
To prevent harming the patient
Define the term “Bioethics”
-they can bring understanding and knowledge among healthcare professionals about medical practice. It can involve medical ethics and studying benefits, duties, and harms. it also contributes to the rights and responsibilities of the patients.
State the 4 bioethics:
1- Autonomy
2- Beneficence
3- Non-maleficence
4- Justice
State the meanings of all the bioethics
1- Autonomy (the patient has the right to make decisions)
2- Beneficence (All the benefits must be provided to the patients, and treating them with dignity)
3- Non-maleficence (prevent harming patients in any possible way)
4- Justice (to provide services and treat every patient equally without any discrimination)
True or False: It is important to ask the patient for consent before doing any tests on him/her as well as before analyzing the samples you have collected
True
True or False: Consents are only done in written form
False; they can be either in verbal form or in a document that a patient signs
Define “Consent”
Are either done verbally or in a document form that is signed by a patient to show that he/she agrees on the tests that would be done on him/her. Can be considered a form of agreement.
When can verbal consent be an ethical problem?
When the patient has any mental illnesses, critical illnesses, or is at an age that can’t make any decisions.
An example of when consent is used:
When a patient is sent to an outside lab/healthcare center to do tests. (The signature of the doctor + the patient going there is a sign of acceptance)
True or false: benefit of testing (to the patient) is always over autonomy
False; the decision of the patient must always be respected even if he/she refused to do the tests that would benefit him/her
why should the details, tests, etc. of patients be given to certain professional personnel only?
It is because confidentiality is an important ethical aspect that every lab/healthcare center must have.
Why should the tests be carried out using universal precautions?
to protect both patients and healthcare workers
SOP (Standard operation procedures) are:
Are the unified procedures/operations that we handle as medical workers (lab workers) It might contain important processes that each staff member must know and do. it can be in a form of a file that contains the steps of the unified procedures that can help us to prevent any issues.
True or False: Workers are not allowed to take extra samples for any research/procedures without taking the consent of the patient
True
What are identifiers?
are labels placed over the specimens/samples to indicate who the patient is. The may include the name, ae, gender, date of birth, and a barcode that can be scanned and contains the rest of the data about the patient.
give out some ethics in the analytical stage
1- even after the collection of the specimens, the patient still has the right to decline to have his/her samples analyzed
2- special care must be taken to maintain confidentiality as much as possible in point-of-caring test
3- every good laboratory must have a strict quality assurance program that contains quality control testing, proficiency testing, and laboratory accreditation.
4- all the samples must be treated and analyzed equally
5- appropriate operating procedure for emergency STAT testing and/or priority testing provided as well as stating what’s included in the tests and turnaround time
6- samples must be analyzed accurately and on time
Define the term “turaround time (TAT)”
It is the time that we (lab workers) work on the samples to give the patients the results and report them. This must be done ASAP and accurately.
state 2 drawbacks of delaying the reports (not respecting the TAT)
1- The diagnosis of the patient would be delayed, affecting and potentially harming the patient, especially if the test is done for urgent purposes. The patient might then get extra unnecessary treatments or complications.
2- duplicated specimens might be a result of not respecting the TAT due to the delay that’ll happen and the increase in requests. Hence, there would be financial burdens on the healthcare centers/labs
what’s the department that can contain policies for specimens’ storage?
analyte department
True or False: After finishing using the results, they’re simply thrown.
False; they are archived either electronically or in hard copy format
where is the identification of authorized personnel that has access to the medical records located?
Policy manual
State 1 thing that u do before getting rid of the reports.
Shredding the documents if they’re in hard copy format
In addition to the patient’s consent for further research on the specimens, who must approve?
the local board/commitee of ethics
What are the things that must be included in the results?
1- the appropriate name of the test that has been performed
2- the unit of measurement
3- a designation that the test is within or above reference interval
4- appropriate reference interval
Why can’t anyone interpret the results or reports?
If anyone reported or interpreted the reports or results, the patient might get harmed
If any errors occur, what must we do?
we must directly inform the lab or clinicians as soon as possible
