Section 1: Intro and Lab Safety Flashcards
Define hematology
Hematology is the study of blood cells and blood-forming tissues
What is plasma versus serum?
Plasma = serum + clotting factors
Serum = plasma - clotting factors
Serum and plasma contain water, proteins, salts, hormones
What does EDTA stand for? Color of tube? Function? Which hematological procedures would it be used.
It stands for Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
Lavendar (purple top) tube
Functions to chelate calcium ions and remove them so that blood doesn’t clot
Most commonly used in hematology procedures, such as CBC and differential count (WBC % count). Count WBC, RBC and PLT.
Color tube of sodium citrate? Function? What’s special about it? Hematological procedures?
Light blue cap tube. Functions to also bind calcium and prevent clotting. Same hematological procedures as before. Substitutes for EDTA if patient is an EDTA blood clumper (platelets clump to each other) or if platelet satellites form around neutrophils. Has more anti-coagulant than EDTA so is diluted by filling tube all the way. Multiply by 1.1 to account for dilution factor
CBC report only WBCs and platelets
Cold platelet antibodies still a problem here
Color tube of heparin? Function? Common hematological procedures?
Green cap tube. Functions to block clotting factors. CBC reports only WBC, RBC, and Hct (hematocrit)
Describe EDTA clumpers, cause, problems to machine, and solution
Cause: EDTA causes platelets (or WBCs or RBCs) to agglutinate due to conformational change in membrane and start to look like WBCs to machine due to increased size. Not a true clot
Problem: machine reads platelet clumps as pseudothrombocytopenia and pseudoleukocytosis
Solution: Use sodium citrate instead
Describe cold platelet antibodies cause, problems to machine, and solution
Cause: blood drawn into tube cools down such that Ab against platelets react and cause platelets to clump
Problems to machine: pseudothrombocytopenia reading
Solution: heat to body temp and immediately run test
Describe platelet satellites cause, problems to machine, and solution
Cause: EDTA may cause platelets to clump around neutrophils
Problems to machine: pseudothrombocytopenia and pseudoleukocytosis because increase WBC to platelet ratio
Solution: Use sodium citrate instead
Why are clotted samples unacceptable in hematology and hemostasis?
Automated machine can’t correctly read cell counts because clumps give pseudocytopenias. The. clotting factors make fibrin mesh that traps blood cells
List the components of the complete blood count with proper reporting units and scientific notation
WBC X 10^3/mm^3
RBC X 10^6/mm^3
PLT (platelet count) X 10^3/mm^3
Expand acronyms and define terms:
MCV
MCH
MCHC
RDW
MPV
Mean cell volume = Average cell size (fL)
Hematocrit X 10/RBC millions
Mean cell hemoglobin = Average Hbg weight per RBC (picograms, pg)
Hemoglobin X 10/RBC millions
Mean cell hemoglobin concentration = Average amount of RBC volume that Hbg occupies (% or g/dL)
(Hemoglobin/Hematocrit) X 100
Red cell distribution width = amount of red cell size variation (%)
Mean platelet volume =average platelet size (also fL maybe?)
Define anisocytosis
Huge variability in RBC cell size in population
Define accuracy
How close is measured value to true value
Define precision
Consistent accuracy
Reliability
Trustworthiness. Accuracy and precision
Linearity
Values fall within linear range that can be reported
Sensitivity
True positive rate
Specificity
Can it detect true negatives
What is method validation
Double check if new method yields accurate results
What are lot to lot comparisons?
You test one lot for accurate results. Get a new lot and compare to previous lot for consistent and accurate results
What are critical values?
Numbers that if too high or too low (outside standard range) and must be reported
Delta checks
Comparing previous results with current results and seeing why they’re different
Reference range development
Developing standard ranges for cell counts, differentials…etc so that we can distinguish between healthy and pathological states
Control samples
They serve to test if a method worked as expected
Proficiency/competency testing
Check to make sure the MLS tech skills meet requirements when conducting tests
Continuing education/professional development
Make techs continue education (going to conferences and stuff) to improve skills
Define (standard) universal precautions
Housekeeping (clean/disinfect/restock)
Electronics (keep them away during wet lab)
Laundry (
Fire hazards (fire extinguishers every 75 feet, checked monthly, maintained annually, everyone must do fire drill)
Chemical hazards (SDS, electronic version ok, no password protection or locked behind door)
Occupational hazards (electronic and needle punctures. Don’t recap needles)
List potentially infectious materials in standard (universal precautions)
All human blood, body fluids, and tissues.
Identify 4 occupational hazards in the lab
- Fire
- Chemical
- Electrical
- Health
Describe the safe practices described in the “Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens” standard
Wash the site of the needlestick or cut with soap and water.
Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water.
Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile irrigants. At least 15 min
Lab coats and clothing
Wash any exposed skin
Report incident to supervisor and fill out incident report
What is the single most important practice to prevent infection
Handwashing
Define SDS, list information contained on SDS, and determine when SDS will be
used in laboratory activities
Safety Data Sheet contains:
Section 1- product ID, manufacturer name, phone number, recommended use, restrictions for use
Section 2 - Hazards ID
Section 3- Composition/info on ingredients
Section 4 - First-aid measures
Section 5 - Fire-fighting measures (first aid treatment for exposure and symptoms of exposure
Will be used in lab with products that students should know how to safely use
Name the specific practice during which most needle stick injuries occur
Phlebotomy
Which cells suffer from cold reactive antibodies? Which is most common?
Ab to WBCs, RBCs, and PLTs. anti-RBC cold reactive Abs most common, so commonly see RBCs sticking together
