Medical Laboratory Observer articles from March 2006

Medical Laboratory Observer archives from March 2006

The war on error.(medical errors)
March 1, 2006... Oscar Wilde once gibed, "Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes." But in healthcare, mistakes add up to more than just experience. According to the well-publicized 1999 IOM report To Err is Human: Building a Better Health System,...

Non-urine body fluid specific gravity.(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... At my institution, I took the issue to the next level. I reviewed the literature and contacted experts, who were all in agreement, that there was no clinical value for peritoneal or pleural specific gravity measurement. As a result, we...

And a postscript.(Readers respond)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... Editor's note: After 30 years as a med tech, Nancy Martin is retiring. Below is her story of surviving Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We wish her the best of luck in what should be an interesting and very active retirement, rebuilding her home....

Possible bird flu case in France.(case studies on bird flu)
March 1, 2006... Possible bird flu case in France. Despite the fact that her government had already tightened its security measures against a possible outbreak of the H5N1 virus, a French woman returning home from a January visit to Turkey was suspected of...

Malaria parasite in lymph nodes.(research on malaria)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Malaria parasite in lymph nodes. Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) in Australia reported in Nature Medicine on Jan. 22, that up to now, it was believed that the world's deadliest malaria parasite--Plasmodium...

Detecting MRSA outbreaks.(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)(meidcal research)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Detecting MRSA outbreaks. In the January 2006 issue of PLoS Medicine, German researchers have proposed an automated DNA sequence-based early-warning system to detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreaks in...

Surprise rabies discovery.(care and treatment for rabies)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Surprise rabies discovery. Last month, scientists at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia identified a mutation in a rabies virus gene that changes a single amino acid in the virus' outer coat, turning a "safe" virus into a deadly version,...

COLA.(vocational guidance)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... COLA offers new online competency assessments through its LabUniversity that can help streamline laboratory staff evaluation by lab directors and supervisors. Initially, 10 online assessments will be available, including testing on i-STAT...

Conferences.(conferences)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... May 15-19. The AACC and the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry are sponsoring a five-day intensive course entitled "2005 Professional Practice in Clinical Chemistry: A Review and Update" at the Holiday Inn Old Town in Alexandria, VA....

Specific IgE testing: objective laboratory evidence supports allergy diagnosis and treatment.(Immunoglobulin E)
March 1, 2006... CONTINUING EDUCATION To earn CEUs, see test on page 20. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this article, the reader will be able to: 1. Explain how specific IgE blood testing allows primary-care physicians to diagnose and...

Pharmacogenomics: the relevance of emerging genotyping technologies.(medical research)
March 1, 2006... Analysis of genotype-phenotype relationships, particularly drug effects due to genetic variation--pharmacogenomics--has greatly evolved over the past several years. Advances in genomic technologies, best defined as methods used to manipulate...

What's in that pot o'gold?(surveys on salaries)
March 1, 2006... This month, St. Patrick's Day will be celebrated around the world. On that day, the Emerald Isle becomes home for all who believe in the elusive pot o'gold at the end of the rainbow. While a relentless quest for scientific treasure...

Custom Comfort Medtek's dynamic lab-furnishings duo.(customer care services)
March 1, 2006... Customer care is the key: Customer-focused Custom Comfort Medtek started in a garage in 1987 and now offers 300 different products from its 50,000 square-foot facility to clients all over the world--services recently expanded to the Middle...

A medical lab career in the U.S. Army: challenges with rewards.(United States Army)
March 1, 2006... The United States Army provides training in medical laboratory science--from associate's and bachelor's through post-doctoral degrees--for individuals who want careers that provide growth opportunities, increased responsibilities, variety, and...

Budgeting for overtime.(Addressing management issues)
March 1, 2006... Q My department went over the yearly budget last year. The department performance with respect to finances is very low compared to other departments within my hospital system. One cause is too much overtime (OT) has been paid out to FTEs. In...

Wanting a salary increase.(employee benefits)
March 1, 2006... Q I would appreciate suggestions about how to handle a wage increase for our lab. Our neighboring hospital has given a wage increase, and I now have disappointed employees. I contacted HR about checking with our neighbors about their pay scale....

Overheated cryoglobulin sample.(analysis on cryoglobulin)
March 1, 2006... Q The beginning of our procedure for testing a blood sample for cryoglobulins calls for heating the drawtube at 37[degrees]C for at least one hour. If the sample is left in the 37[degrees]C water bath overnight, is it still good to test? I...

QC on POCT oximeter.
March 1, 2006... Q Our cardiac-cath laboratory department has a point-of-care [O.sub.2]-saturation analyzer. There are no liquid QC or calibration-verification kits available for this analyzer. The only QC is photometer readings that are performed using three...

Pediatric reference ranges derived by different methodologies.(Answering your questions)
March 1, 2006... Q We are a mid-size hospital with low pediatric volume due to a nearby children's hospital. Can I use a reference range from literature if I do not have access to pediatric specimens to establish my own? I am nervous about using a reference...

Privacy and surveillance cameras in the workplace.(Liability and the lab)
March 1, 2006... Q We have a small lab in our emergency room (ER). We find that unauthorized people are going in there removing things. We also have issues with items missing from our supply storeroom. Would it be legal for us to install a surveillance camera...

Middleware: what's the buzz?(technology)
March 1, 2006... "Middleware" has certainly become one of the hottest buzzwords in the clinical laboratory industry. One of the problems with buzzwords is that they "appear ubiquitously but their actual meanings often remain unclear." (1) At this time, this is...

Pneumatic carriers.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... MicroShield pneumatic tube carriers contain an antimicrobial agent that resists the transfer of bacteria from person to person. These sanitary carriers are part of a product line consisting of RedLatch carrier for 4" and 6" systems, available...

Portable eyewash station.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... The Portable Gravity Operated Eyewash Model 7500 features a 16-gallon capacity, FDA high-density green polyethylene tank that provides over 15 minutes of full pattern flushing at .4 gpm. Pulling down the yellow arm to the open position...

Biological safety cabinets.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... Different sizes of Biohazard Cabinets--suitable for use with Biosafety Levels 1, 2, and 3 per CDC/NIH and NCR criteria--offer standard features like hinged eyelid, audible alarm, lab service valve, ball-type drain valve, stainless-steel work...

Disposable liners/sheets.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... Simplify clean up and safeguard work surfaces with disposable Labmat Bench and Drawer Liner Sheets. A highly absorbent upper surface traps water, dyes, corrosive chemicals, and radioactive solutions. The flexible polyethylene film backing is...

Specimen bag with document pocket.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... Securely transport medical specimens and isolate related paperwork in the double-pocket, two-mil (1/1000-inch thick) polyethylene Biohazard Specimen Bag. Available with different closures: Loc-Top bags with resealable zipper closure for...

Bench-top waste containers.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... Avoid repeated trips to a centralized waste container. Collect contaminated non-sharp waste--petri dishes, pipettes, test tubes, applicator sticks, and swabs--in the Terminal Biohazard Keeper Bench-Top Model. A plastic lining holds a moderate...

Emergency information.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... The CDC's website--www.bt.cdc.gov--offers new and updated emergency preparedness and response information on bioterrorism agents; chemical and radiation emergencies; mass casualties; natural disasters and severe weather; and recent outbreaks...

Avoid splashes.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... Saf De-Cap protects lab workers from aerosol and splash when removing caps from blood tubes and micro samples or breaking open ampules. The translucent, pliant cap is placed over the blood tube cap and gripped. The cap is then pulled off with...

Fashion message.(Product focus: Biohazard and bioterror products and services)
March 1, 2006... Make a statement in 100% cotton scrub tops with the distinctive staph design; coordinating pants are available. Or sport a 100% silk SARS bow tie (manual) to be creative in your own fight against disease. Infectious-disease designs decorate...

OSHA HazCom compliance on your terms.(Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
March 1, 2006... Like many industrial safety and hygiene managers, Miguel Fonseca found it burdensome to label all the chemicals in containers used at his company's facilities, in compliance with OSHA Hazard Communication Right-to-Know (HCS) regulation. The...

For the handheld.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... New formulation of Sugar-Chex Linearity, a whole-blood glucose linearity kit for handheld glucose meters, yields results consistent with those reported with fresh whole blood. Ready-to-use dropper vials with 100-day closed- and 14-day open-vial...

ID heart attacks.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... Easy-to-use Cardiac STATus quickly, accurately identifies heart attacks in patients experiencing chest pain. Requires only six drops of heparinized whole blood, plasma, or serum and delivers qualitative results for troponin I, myoglobin, and...

Minimize fatigue.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The BC Series Upright Compound Microscopes provides enhanced stability for high-quality photomicroscopy. The ergonomic single-hand focus/stage controls increase workflow while minimizing fatigue. The BC series offers binocular and trinocular...

Blood-screening automation.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The high-volume, fully-automated blood-screening PRISM system and a test for hepatitis B are available. By automating manual testin-procedures traditionally used to screen blood, this instrument consolidates the screening process into a single...

12 configurations released.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... Twelve standard configurations of the LH 1500 series hematology automation system, recently released, are suitable to help high-volume labs manage testing processes, including pre-analytical sorting, testing, and analysis of results, and...

IR platform; remote operation.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The Spectrum 100 FT-IR and 100 N FT-NIR spectrometers feature a new infrared (IR) platform, including new and improved UATR accessory and fiber-optic NIR probe. Digital electronics and increased signal-to-noise ratio with high-quality optics...

Transfusion functions.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... Recently cleared by the FDA for U.S. distribution, the TANGO Automated Blood Bank System is designed for transfusion services, donor centers, and reference labs performing blood-group serology testing. It is capable of performing a host of...

Auto-microbial ID.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The VITEK 2 Compact automates bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing (ID/AST) in small to mid-sized labs. Its Advanced Expert System interprets antibiotic-resistance patterns, validates results, and reports the...

Equivalent quality.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The MPK series introduces equivalent cartridges for Millipore Q-pak systems. Constructed of natural polypropylene material, cartridges use heat-fused technology to minimize extractables. Premium resins and media provide consistent, ultrapure...

Two-in-one unit.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The Combo V24 centrifuge achieves test tube and hematocrit separations with one unit. Holds up to 24 test, hematocrit, or micro-tubes, and reaches speeds up to 12,000 rpm. No tools are needed to change rotors. Variable speed control, a...

Cost-effective aspiration duo.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... Introducing two aspiration stations: compact Model 2511 (combo aspiration/pressure pump, 11-L/min. capacity) and Model 2515 (for aspirating tissue cultures, 34-L/min. capacity). Both are oil-free and economical with a 1.2-L autoclavable...

Non-toxic UVC disinfection.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The ozone-free, non-toxic CM1900 UV rapid sectioning cryostat with UVC disinfection significantly reduces infectious-materials exposure risks. The cryochamber can be rapidly disinfected with UV light at any time without warming or defrosting....

Versatile centrifuge.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... QuickSpin, SeroSpin, OptiSpin, and CentraSpin are four compact, versatile, application-specific centrifuge packages. Useful, respectively, for general sample spin-downs, manual blood typing, clinical lab applications, and high-volume...

Heat, incubate, thaw.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The 7-L polycarbonate analog thermostatic Water Bath for heating, incubating, and thawing is constructed for easy viewing of contents. Its fast-acting thermostat serves as a low-water protector, and prevents heating element burn-out/potential...

Detect avian flu.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... Xpect Flu A & B rapid test kit offers 92.2% sensitivity for Flu A and 97.8% sensitivity for Flu B. It detects avian flu isolates H 5 N 1 and H9N2 and can be performed on a variety of specimen types. Compatible with commonly used specimen...

Economic advantage.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... The PL-AS RT economic autosampler--for sample handling and increased throughput--delivers accurate sample injection with a flushed fixed loop for unprecedented reproducibility. Designed for use at ambient temperature, this X-Y style system has...

Faster blood-gas testing.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2006... 1st automatic, a blood-gas analysis system, combines automation, information, and sampler technology to ensure correct sample/patient ID and operator safety. Pre-barcoded safe PICO sampler, ABL800 FLEX blood-gas analyzer, and FLEXLINK software...

CLMA ThinkLab '06.(SHOW PREVIEW)
March 1, 2006... This is your opportunity to see the newest clinical laboratory products, which use the latest in technology. Take along MLO's guide to find these companies throughout the CLMA show floor at the Charlotte Convention Center. For more information...

Update on the laboratory workforce-shortage crisis.(trained medical laboratorians in demand)
March 1, 2006... An adequate level of appropriately educated and trained medical laboratorians is crucial for the future of quality healthcare. We play a vital role in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease; and without the information that we...