Clinical Microbiology · stage 1 of 5

A specimen worth working on

Everything microbiology can tell you is decided before the first plate is streaked. By the end of this stage you can judge whether a request, a container and a patient identity hold together well enough to test — and say no, safely and defensibly, when they do not.

Work through these in order

1. 1Working with the patient at the point of collectionProfessionalism
2. 2Telling patients and collectors how to obtain a usable specimenSpecimen Collection
3. 3Spotting requests the laboratory cannot usefully answerSpecimen Collection
4. 4Safeguarding identifiable patient informationProfessionalism
5. 5Checking that the container and the paperwork agreeSpecimen Collection
6. 6Confirming that the specimen belongs to the patient named on itSpecimen Collection
7. 7Noticing when a specimen or its paperwork does not add upSpecimen Collection
8. 8Judging whether what arrived can still give a valid resultSpecimen Collection
9. 9Specimens that are also legal evidenceSpecimen Collection
10. 10Turning a specimen into a traceable record in the LISSpecimen Collection
11. 11Packaging and shipping infectious specimensSafety
12. 12Referring specimens and isolates to a reference laboratoryReporting and Communication
13. 13Deciding which specimens travel firstSpecimen Collection

This reading order is MLTPrep’s own. To browse the same material filed against the competency areas instead, go back to the Clinical Microbiology study guide.

MLTPrep is an independent study resource. Not affiliated with or endorsed by CAMLPR. Always confirm current requirements with CAMLPR directly.