w11 spec handling and storage

Question 1

How long are general documents and reports retained for

Answer 1

11 years

Question 2

how long in general are reqs kept for

Answer 2

usually 3 months some sources say longer, medico-legal issues are kept indefinitely

Question 3

chemistry specimens storage (how long are they kept)

Answer 3

Chem specimens kept for 1 week and refrigerated

CSF and other body fluids kept for one month

Question 4

how long are hem specimens kept for?

Answer 4

• blood one week refrigerated
• normal slides- 7 days
• abnormal slides and bone marrow 10 years

Question 5

Transfusion medicine storage/how long are they kept (also records)

Answer 5

• type and screen specimens kept one month and AT LEAST 7 days post-transfusion
• patient data file is retained indefinitely if there is an antibody present and 10 years if no antibody is present.
• medical records regarding recipients blood components or products are kept indefinitely

Question 6

how long are micro specimens kept for?

Answer 6

• 7 days
• csf and sterile fluids 7 days
• gram stains (direct smear) kept for one month
• gram stain from colonial morphology discarded after reading

Question 7

How long are histology/anatomical pathology/ cytology kept for?

Answer 7

• paraffin blocks, slides and reports 30 years
• autopsy paraffin blocks and slides 30 years
• autopsy reports 11 years
• cytopathology gynaecological and non-gynaecological slides kept 30 years

Question 8

how long are NMS cards kept for

Answer 8

15 years

Question 9

what must be in record for when specimens sent out to referral lab?

Answer 9

• patient demographics
• Test requested
• accession number
• date of referral
• date of receipt of report (not really MLA)

Question 10

What is chain of custody?

Answer 10

process that traces lineage of specimen from collection to results and it ensures that it has not been tampered with

• every person who touches specimen is documented
• observe collection
• record temp after collection
• tamper proof tape
• tamper proof transport bag

Question 11

what are forensic specimens

Answer 11

used to assist in solving crimes- evidence in legal case

• **toxicological analysis- small amounts present; extremely important to ensure specimen collected properly to yield correct result.
• ** chain of custody

Question 12

types of forensic samples

Answer 12

blood alcohols
legal blood alcohols
toxicological and drug screening

Question 13

blood alcohol

Answer 13

ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, acetone.
DO NOT USE ALCOHOL SWAB OR TINCTURE OF IODONE -cleanse with povidone-iodine, or chlorhexidine gluconate
non-legal 5mL SST or PST heparin

Question 14

legal blood alcohol

Answer 14

• collection kit is available in ER

- anyone employed by hospital who routinely collects blood is authorized to collect legal blood alcohols

Question 15

toxicological and drug screening

Answer 15

• serum, plasma, gastric or urine specimens
• test to a drug class, so progressive testing protocol used -further testing carried out if that group is pos
• blood screens are least sensitive, urine better

Question 16

drug screening for employees and athletes

Answer 16

1. sterile airtight containers used (may contain preservatives)
2. proctor watches collection
3. must be properly labelled to establish a chain of custody
4. specimens sealed and locked in transport
5. careful documentation -number of personnel handling specimen should be limited

Question 17

release of specimen for legal cases

Answer 17

1. tech releases if proper documentation is present by requesting party-alberts attorney generals office header or a warrant
2. do not allow them into lab
3. call responsible technologist