- Medical Laboratory Professionals Association of Ontario Laboratory Safety and Quality Questions and Answers Flashcards
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What is the Westgard rule 1₃s in quality control?
Answer: A rejection rule triggered when one QC result exceeds 3 SD
The 1₃s Westgard rule is a rejection rule: if a single quality control result exceeds the mean ± 3 standard deviations, the analytical run must be rejected.
Which type of laboratory waste must be placed in a sharps container in an Ontario medical laboratory?
Answer: Used needles, lancets, and broken glass from patient contact
Sharps containers are required for needles, lancets, scalpel blades, and any broken glass that has had patient contact, as these pose needlestick and laceration injury risks.
A laboratory quality indicator shows the turnaround time (TAT) for STAT potassium results has increased from 45 minutes to 90 minutes over the past month. Which quality management tool would best identify the root cause?
Answer: Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram is a cause-and-effect tool used to systematically identify potential root causes of a quality problem across categories such as people, methods, equipment, and materials.
Under Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) laboratory requirements in Canada, which personal protective equipment is mandatory when handling specimens suspected of containing bloodborne pathogens?
Answer: Gloves, laboratory coat, and eye protection
BSL-2 standard precautions require gloves, a laboratory coat or gown, and eye/face protection when handling potentially infectious bloodborne materials.
What is the primary purpose of a laboratory's standard operating procedure (SOP)?
Answer: To ensure consistent, reproducible performance of procedures by all staff
SOPs ensure that all laboratory staff perform procedures in a standardized, consistent, and reproducible manner, which is essential for result accuracy and patient safety.
A medical laboratory technologist discovers that a refrigerator used to store patient specimens has been at 15°C for an unknown period. What is the correct immediate action?
Answer: Quarantine all affected specimens and notify the supervisor
Temperature excursions require immediate quarantine of affected specimens and supervisor notification to assess specimen viability and determine appropriate corrective action.