Chapter 1 notes

• Histology tests are concerned with the structure of tissue, while cytology tests are concerned with the structure of cells.
• The duties and responsibilities of a phlebotomist include preparing patients and sites for specimen collection, collecting venous and capillary specimens for testing, preparing specimens for proper transport, adhering to all HIPAA and confidentiality guidelines, and transporting and dispatching samples efficiently.
• The phlebotomist is often the only real contact the patient has with the laboratory and is effectively the “face of the lab.”
• Awareness in differences among people, including gender, nationality, expression, and pronouns, is a crucial aspect of being a phlebotomist.
• Gender identity is the perceived sense of self as male/female that may not be externally visible.
• Conduct and qualities that characterize a professional person include general appearance and grooming, self confidence, integrity, compassion, self motivation, dependability, and ethics and ethical behavior.
• Patient rights in healthcare include providing high quality patient care in a clean and safe environment, confidentiality of all patient information, and respect for patient privacy.
• All healthcare professionals aim to provide high quality patient care in a clean and safe environment.
• Confidentiality in healthcare means that all patient information is private and confidential and should be referred to the proper authority.
• Communication in healthcare is the means by which information is exchanged or transmitted, including verbal, active listening, and non-verbal communication.
• Feedback in active listening ensures that the listener is interpreting what the speaker is saying exactly as the speaker intended.
• Non-verbal communication, which makes up 80% of language, is multidimensional and includes characteristics of body motion and language.
• Kinesics is the study of nonverbal communication and includes characteristics of body motion and language.
• Proxemics is the study of an individual's concept and use of space, including distance from the person and territorial zones and corresponding radii.
• Appearance in healthcare settings includes dress codes that make a statement.
• Touch is very important to human beings, especially those suffering from disease.
• The clinical laboratory is divided into two major areas: Anatomical and Surgical Pathology and Clinical laboratory services perform tests on patient specimens.
• The pathologist is a physician with advanced training in clinical and anatomical pathology and directs laboratory services to benefit both physician and patients.
• The laboratory administrator or laboratory manager is usually a medical technologist with an advanced degree and several years of experience.
• Cytology and histology are often confused.
• Histology is defined as the study of the microscopic structure of tissues and in this department, pathologists evaluate samples of tissue from surgeries and autopsies under a microscope to determine if they are normal or pathological (diseased).
• Cytogenetics and flow cytometry are areas found in larger labs where samples are examined microscopically for chromosomal deficiencies that relate to genetic disease.
• Anatomic and surgical pathology is concerned with the diagnosis of disease through the examination of organs and tissues by a pathologist.
• A medical laboratory assistant, also called clinical laboratory assistant and clinical assistant, is an individual with phlebotomy training or experience who is skilled in many areas of the laboratory.
• A medical laboratory scientist or medical technologist generally has a bachelor degree of science degree plus additional studies and experience in the clinical laboratory setting.
• Urinalysis (UA) is the analysis of urine and the UA department, which is often housed in the hematology or chemistry area, performs tests on urine specimens.
• The hematology department (heme for short) in a medical laboratory performs laboratory tests that discover, identify, and monitor diseases and other problems associated with blood and blood-forming tissues.
• The immunology department (immun for short) in a medical laboratory involves the study of the immune system and serology involves the study of serum.
• The coagulation department (coag for short) in a medical laboratory is concerned with the study of the blood's ability to form and dissolve clots.
• A technical supervisor is responsible for the administration of the area and reports to the laboratory administrator.
• The chemistry department (chem for short) in a medical laboratory is concerned with the detection and measurement of chemical substances in body fluids.
• A medical laboratory technician is most often an individual with an associate’s degree from a two year program or certification from a military or proprietary (private) school.
• A phlebotomist is trained to collect blood and certain other specimens for laboratory tests that are necessary for the diagnosis and care of patients.
• The microbiology department (micro for short) in a medical laboratory analyzes blood and other body fluids and tissues for the presence of microorganisms, primarily by means of culture and sensitivity (C&S) testing.
• The duties of the admin include overseeing all operations involving physician and patient services.