Erica Glenn
10/21/12
Laboratory

Experience Record

• Technology Observed:
• Cobas #2501
• Cobas 601
• Cobas 6000
• Freezers and refrigerators
• Computers
• Microscopes
• Diagnostic Procedures Observed:
• Testing to see electrolyte levels
• Testing to see potassium, iron, chlorine, and many other elements levels in the blood.
• Many tests to see what is wrong with the blood
• Some tests were using Cerebral Spinal Fluids
• Therapeutic Procedures Observed
• There is no treatment in the laboratory, just diagnostics.
• But she did show me and explain how to draw blood form an adult patient and an infant patient.
• Diseases/ Disorders Observed
• Some of the blood had too low or too high levels of some things.
• One person had electrolytes too high.
• One person had a low white blood cell count which could mean a variety of things with the immune system.
• Medical Terminology/ Abbreviations Encountered:
• K- Potassium
• Cl- Chlorine
• Many other elements
• CSF- Cerebral Spinal Fluid
• H2O- Water
• Scope- Microscope
• Several more

Learning Report

• What were your responsibilities or duties this week?
• The woman who I was observing let me count the containers and organize them in order. With those containers, i had to fill them up with the correct nimber or vials in the correct spots. With those vials, I put in drops of different fluids so they could be put in the machine and tested. When everything was in the machine and ready, she let me start all of the tests on the computer. 
• What new knowledge or skill did you learn this week? 
• I learned how precise you have to be in this job, because the slightest mistake could mess all of the tests up. Also, i learned that chemistry is a HUGE part of this job, and you need to know literally all of the elements on the periodic table. 
• What was the best thing that happened at the unpaid work-based learning site this week? 
• The best thing that happened was i actually got to do work by myself. She was putting a lot of responsibility in my hands to preform these tasks perfectly. I really liked the fact that i got to be very hands-on. 
• If the "worst" was a mistake, how was it corrected?
• I made one mistake when i was putting the vials in the containers, but when i was filling the vials with fluids, i realized the mistake and i told her and then we both fixed it. 
• This week was...?
• Good- i really enjoyed all of the hands-on stuff i got to do, and i really liked the fact that she was taking her time to show me around and explain all of the stuff to me and was keeping me involved. 

Experience Journal Summary

This week, I was in the Laboratory. When i walked in, I walked up to the first woman I saw and introduced myself. She was busy, so she brought me over to another woman in the lab, so i then introduced myself again. She was very nice and began to talk to me about what i was interested in and everything while she was finishing the tests she was running. Then she took me around the lab and explained all of the different types of vials with the different colored tops, as well as explaining all of the functions of all of the rooms. She then took me into the stock room and showed me all of the stuff in there and what everything was used for. She then explained to me how blood was drawn from an adult and from an infant. Then we went back to work and she made me put on gloves and start working. She told me what to do, so i counted out all of the containers and put them in order. Then i put all of the vials in the correct spots in the containers, and then I filled all of the vials with the certain fluids that she was giving me. Then we put the containers in the machine, and she let me start up the tests on the computer. Then it was time to go, so i let her sign my paper, and i thanked her for  her time and effort to teach me. Then i left, and met everyone else in the cafeteria. 

Experience Journal

• Assessment of the environment:
• Personnel: There were very few people in the lab. I was observing one woman (I dont remember her name) and she was a phlebotomist. There were two other women working with blood and scanning vials into the computers. And there was one man who was walking around and running tests. Total, there were only 4 employees in the laboratory when i was in there.
• Services Provided: In the laboratory, they provide diagnostic tests on blood and other fluids for patients. They preform tests, but not really experiments or treatment plans. 
• Equipment: Everyone was wearing gloves, including me. We also used vials, syringes, and containers to hold the vials. 
• Technology Utilized: Cobas #2501 (Calibration), Cobas e 601, Cobas 6000, computers, refrigerators, freezer, microscopes, scanners, etc.
• Observation: 
• Health Care Professionals: All of the employees were wearing scrubs and tennis shoes, but not all of their scrubs matched. They were also all wearing their ID badges on the top of their scrub tops. Also, everybody was wearing gloves, but not everybody had their hair pulled back. Everyone in the laboratory was very nice and friendly. 
• Teaming Skills: All of the employees were working together to fix a computer problem, so there was very good teamwork. 
• Communication Skills: There were no problems communicating with anyone. All of the employees had good communication, and I had good communication with the woman who I was observing. (Even though she had a tough Vietnamese accent.)
• Safety Procedures: Everyone in the laboratory was wearing gloves. I also saw a fire extinguisher and a fire alarm. Also, every time a syringe was used for anything, it was thrown away. There were several types of trash cans and waste disposal containers that were each classified for what they were used for.
• Therapeutic/ Diagnostic procedures: There were many diagnostic tests used on the blood and other body fluids to fins out what was wrong, or even if there was anything wrong in the first place. 
• Knowledge: 
• New Information Learned: I learned that I need to remember all of the elements on the periodic table. I also need to remember what all of the color-coding of the vials represent.
• Medical Terminology: K-Potassium, Cl- Chlorine, CSF- Cerebral Spinal Fluid, Scope- Microscope, etc.
• Skills Learned: I learned that each vial that blood is kept in has a color that all means something. I also learned that the machines they have in the lab are extremely advanced, and can do pretty much anything with all body fluids. 
• Evaluation: 
• Personal Experience: I really enjoyed my time in the lab. Although there was no patient contact, i was still very hands-on and i learned a lot. I enjoyed the experience, and I really liked the woman i was observing because she really took the time to teach me new things and teach me all about the lab.
• Educational Value: I learned a lot of new stuff in the lab including how to draw blood from an adult and an infant, as well as the meaning of all of the color-coding of the vials, and many other things.
• Professional Value: I learned all about what a phlebotomist does on a daily basis because that is who i was observing. I learned that a career in the laboratory would be very quiet (besides the machines) and possibly very cold. 

Medical Laboratory Questions:

1. Describe the blood types and their percentage found in the population.
1. Group A
   Blood has A antigen on red cells, and anti-B antibody in its plasma. 
2. Group B 
   Blood has B antigen on red cells, and anti-A antibody in its plasma. 
3. Group AB
   Blood has both A and B antigens on red cells but neither anti-A antibody nor anti B antibody in its plasma. AB blood cannot cause the clumping of red cells of any other groups, and therefore persons with AB blood are called universal recipients. 
4. Group O 
   Blood has neither A nor B antigens on red cells, and both anti-A antibody and
   anti-B antibody in the plasma. Group O blood cannot be clumped by any human
   blood, and therefore persons with Group O are called universal donors. 
2. What is the Rh factor?
1. Most people also have an inherited condition of the red blood cells known as the Rh factor, or antigen D. When the D antigen is present, a person's blood type is designated Rh positive. When antigen D is missing, the blood type is classified Rh negative. In general, Rh negative blood is given to Rh negative patients and Rh positive blood to Rh positive patients.
3. Describe the diseases that each unit of blood is screened for after donation?
1. Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg), Antibodies to the Hepatitis B Core (Anti-HBc),Antibodies to the Hepatitis C Virus (Anti-HCV), Antibodies to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Types 1 and 2 (Anti-HIV-1, -2),Antibodies to Human T-Lymphotropic Virus, Types I and II (Anti-HTLV-I, -II),Syphilis,Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAT),Confirmatory Testing
4. Explain the differences between a biopsy, smear, fluid tissue samples.
1. A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon or an interventional radiologist involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination.
2.  A blood smear is a blood film or peripheral blood smear is a microscope slide made from a drop of blood, that allows the cells to be examined microscopically.
3. A fluid tissue sample is something that bathes and surrounds the cells of multicellular animals.                                          
5.  Describe the safety precautions practiced in the laboratory during specimen collection.
1. Wear gloves, lab coat, and when appropriate, a mask or goggles. Also, use leak-proof containers that specify the transportation of blood. Also label everything correctly and put in a reliable refrigerated area. 
6. How much must a blood donor weigh?
1. At least 110 pounds. 
7. How much blood is collected for each donor unit?
8. What is the purpose of an anticoagulant?
1. To prevent blood from coagulating, or clotting.
9. What is the purpose of staining tissue?


1. The purpose is to add visual contrast to otherwise transparent objects, so they will be easier to see and study under the microscope.


10. Define the following:
1. Retic Count: Reticulocyte Count
2. Diff: Deifferent
3. ESR:Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
4. Hgb: Hemoglobin
5. HbS: Hemoglobin
6. Hct/Crit: The percentage of red blood cells in the blood
7. MCV: The mean corpuscular volume
8. MCH: Mean corpuscular hemoglobin
9. RBC: Red Blood Cell
10. Sed rate: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
11. WBC: White Blood Cell
11. Distinguish between logging, dehydration, and mounting.
1. Logging: Logarithm 
2. Dehydration: Not enough water
3. Mounting: Putting something up
12. Explain the educational requirements and licensure differences between a cytologist, histologist, and pathologist.
1. Cytologist: cytology is that branch of life science, which deals with the study of cells in terms of structure, function and chemistry. 
2. Histologist: is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of plants and animals.
3. Pathologist: The study of diseases.
13. Describe the machine used for cutting tissue into very thin strips.
1. A Tissue Staining and Processing Machine
14. Describe the process for processing fresh frozen tissue for cancer diagnosis.
1. Store in a histology laboratory where everything is labeled and safely sealed. 
15. Describe the method of preparing exfoliated cells for cancer diagnosis.
1. Properly exfoliate cells so they can be diagnosed for cancer or not.