Sunday, July 01, 2007

Attachment Experience

hello guys (:

In case if you're wondering whoose the first to blog, its me! Natalie.
So, i shall get the ball start rolling.
This is the first week which i was posted to this hospital for attachment. Basically, our lab consists of severals sections namely, immunology, processing, microbiology, histology, bloodbank, biochemistry etc. For the first two weeks, i was posted to the Biochemistry Lab.

The biochemistry lab mainly handles patients' serum or urine samples for testing of analytes or electrolytes e.g. glucose, potassium, magnesium, albumin, ALP, ALT, CK, CKMB, Pro BNP etc.
However, not all testings are done by a machine alone. There are several machines used in the lab for different kind of testings.
For example,
Test for Renal and Liver Panel, Lipid Profile and individuals test like, albumin, ALP, ALT, Phosphate, Magnesium is used by the machine, Beckerman Coulter's; LX 1 & 2.
Test for CKMB Mass, Troponin T are used by the machine, Elecsys.
The other machine Cobas, is used to test for PSA etc.

So what actually happens before we load the plain tube contained the patient's serum into the specific machine, afterwhich we retrieve the result from the computer and print them?
Firstly, a blood sample is collected from the patient. The blood sample is then sent to the processing counter whereby labelling of the patient's identity as well as the type of test to be done is made.
Then it is being centrifuged at a certain speed for 5minutes, afterwhich, i'll collect them and seperate them according to which type of test that specific tube is meant for and load then into the specific machine. Its as simple as that!

However, in such cases whereby the serum is insufficient, we have to transfer them into smaller cups before loading them into the machine. It is becase the machine only can retrieve the serum to a certain level. Any amount lower than that level, it will be posted on the the screen as 'probe obstructed' etc. Addition to it, the machine will rings if any other problems occurred.

On the third and fourth day, i was asked to arrive there earlier to observe and learn how the supervisor and staffs there operate the machine. Every morning, it is a must to check whether there is sufficient reagents to carry out the various test. And we also have to check whether has the calibration of each and every reagent has expired. It is crucial because if ever so, there is insufficient reagent or expired ones, we are unable to use the machine and it will decrease the turnover rate and slow down everything. It could do harm especially to those who are under the awaiting(emergency) list. Furthermore, we ought to carry out controls whenever we have entered a new reagent into the machine, which take time to process too.

Lastly, i also have learnt that in this hospital, wards starting with the number 3,4,5 e.g. 23,44,35 are wards that are under the awaiting list. In another words, urgent cases whereby, we are supposed to send the results over within an hour. And one more thing, which is the most important thing to do before you process anything; you must always remember to check whether the patient's identity tallies with the tube that your're going to process with! It will be a disaster if wrong result is sent to the wrong patient. Not only you'll get blamed, the whole entire staffs involved will be pulled down too. So, remember to check properly before processing! (:

Urm, so i have kinda summarised everything that i've done for the past week in a nutshell (: By far, I am enjoying what i am doing and am glad to learn new stuffs everyday. The staffs there are friendly and approachable so, everything is fine for me (so far i guessed)! (:
Erm lastly, any questions you may post it in the text box? Hopefully, i'll have the answers. HA!
Hope to hear from you guys soon! Takecare!


Cheers!
Natalie Teo
0503275J
TG01

8 comments:

we are the XiaoBianTai-7! said...

hi nat

thanks for sharing with us ur expeience in CGH, by the way, i like to ask you one question, is the lab you attached to fully automatated or you are still required to do some manual testing.

lizzie

The Lab Freaks said...

hey lizzie!

urmm i am not sure what you're trying to ask. you mean is it whether the lab is fully automated as in from the loading of serum tubes into the machine etc? And your 'manual testing' means that we do the testing ourselves, without using the machine?
HAHA. i think i'll just answer both. Erm the lab is not fully automated as in we still have to do the unloading from the centrifudge machine and then into the selective machine ourseleves. But all the testings are automated (done by machines) we do not do it manually. (:
hope that answers your question.
-Nat

Star team said...

Hey Nat good to hear you're enjoying your learning experience in CGH! I'm enjoying mine at KK too!

My question is what method does the elecsys machine utilize for the detection of Troponin T?

Randall

The Lab Freaks said...

to xuefang's qn:
Erm yes, the machine does function exactly like the ones we have in school. however, our machines here have more reagents compared to the one in school thus, able to carry out more various kinds of test rather than the common ones e.g. potassium, sodium etc.
Pro-BNP stands for B-type natriuretic peptide. It aids in the diagnosis of individuals suspected of having congestive heart failure and mild forms of cardiac dysfunction.

to randall's qn:
It uses electrochemiluminescence immunoassay "ECLIA" method. The test uses the sandwiched principle whereby the Elecsys Troponin T assay detects free troponin T as well as binary and ternary complexes of troponin.

hope this answers answered your answers! (:

-Nat

MedBankers said...

hello... ^_^/

It seems that your biochem lab testing is pretty similar to the Clinical Chemistry department of AH (Alexandra Hosp). May I know what machines are your lab using? Thanks.

Pei Shan, TG02

The Lab Freaks said...

hello pei shan! (:

under the biochemistry section, we're using beckman coulters, elecsys and cobas. There are other machines in other sections e.g. bbank, immuno, but im not too sure the machines there.

MedBankers said...

Thanks! My lab is using Cobas too... and Hitachi. ^_^

Pei Shan, TG02

ALsubs said...

hi natalie..

Sorry i have post my quest here instead, seems like my quest is long theres not enuf space to type it there...
Heres my quest. you were saying that if the serum is insufficient , you would have to transfer them into small cups rite. Ya small cups meaning? any kind a cups or there are specific ones to be used?

Vinodhini
TGO1