VCE Vet Laboratory Skills cheat sheet

Risk assessment matrix: likelihood (1–5) × consequence (1–5); score 1–4 low, 5–9 medium, 10–14 high, 15–25 critical.

Hierarchy of control (most to least effective): elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS) sections: 1 identification, 2 hazards, 3 composition, 4 first aid, 5 firefighting, 6 accidental release, 7 handling/storage, 8 exposure controls/PPE, 9 physical/chemical properties, 10 stability/reactivity, 11 toxicological, 12 ecological, 13 disposal, 14 transport, 15 regulatory, 16 other.

Globally Harmonized System (GHS) pictograms include health hazard, flame, exclamation mark, corrosion, skull and crossbones, gas cylinder, exploding bomb, flame over circle, environment.

PPE selection rule: gloves must be compatible with the chemical; nitrile resists many solvents but not concentrated acids; check permeation breakthrough time.

Emergency spill response: alert, evacuate if volatile/toxic, contain with absorbent, neutralize only if trained, dispose as hazardous waste, report and document.

Chemical storage segregation: acids separate from bases; oxidizers separate from flammables; water-reactive chemicals away from aqueous solutions.

Biological safety levels: BSL-1 low risk; BSL-2 moderate risk with biosafety cabinet and restricted access; BSL-3/4 require specialized engineering controls.

Incident reporting: record near misses and injuries; report to supervisor immediately; investigate root cause; implement corrective actions.

Analytical balance: levelled, calibrated, draft-free; use weighing paper or tared vessel; record to appropriate decimal places (e.g., 0.0001 g).

Micropipette: select volume within 10–100% of nominal capacity; pre-rinse tip; hold vertically; aspirate slowly; never lay down with liquid in tip.

pH meter calibration: two or three buffers bracketing the expected pH (e.g., pH 4.01, 7.00, 10.01); slope should be 95–105% for accurate readings.

Centrifuge: balance tubes by mass opposite each other; do not exceed maximum rotor speed (RCF); stop immediately if vibration or noise occurs.

Autoclave: steam sterilization typically 121 °C at 15 psi for 15–20 minutes; validate with biological indicators (Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores).

Spectrophotometer: set wavelength, zero with blank, measure absorbance; Beer–Lambert law A = εbc relates absorbance to concentration.

Biosafety cabinet: Class II recirculates and filters air; avoid rapid movements; do not use flames; decontaminate surfaces before and after work.

Fume hood: face velocity typically 0.3–0.5 m/s; keep sash low; do not store chemicals permanently; check airflow indicator before use.

Chain of custody: every transfer recorded with date, time, name, purpose; breaks in chain can invalidate results.

Label minimum: patient/sample ID, collection date and time, sample type, collector initials, tests requested, special handling notes.

Specimen preservation: refrigerate most clinical samples at 2–8 °C; freeze at −20 °C or −80 °C for long-term; avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles.

Blood collection order (order of draw): blood culture, sodium citrate (coagulation), serum tube, heparin tube, EDTA tube, fluoride/oxalate tube.

Urine collection: midstream clean-catch preferred; first morning sample most concentrated; 24-hour collection requires preservative and refrigeration.

Sample rejection criteria: unlabelled or mislabelled, insufficient volume, wrong container, haemolysed, clotted, expired transport time.

Transport temperature: ambient, refrigerated (2–8 °C), or frozen; triple packaging for infectious substances (UN3373).

Storage segregation: samples stored away from chemicals and food; hazardous samples in designated locked areas; monitor temperature with data loggers.

Significant figures: addition/subtraction limited by fewest decimal places; multiplication/division limited by fewest significant figures.

Serial dilution: dilution factor = final volume / aliquot volume; total dilution = product of individual dilution factors.

C1V1 = C2V2 for preparing diluted solutions from a stock.

Percent concentration: % w/v = g solute per 100 mL solution; % v/v = mL solute per 100 mL solution; % w/w = g solute per 100 g solution.

Molarity: M = moles solute / litres solution; moles = mass (g) / molar mass (g/mol).

Titration: equivalence point where moles acid = moles base; use indicator or pH meter; record initial and final burette readings to 0.05 mL.

Gravimetric analysis: dry or ignite precipitate to constant mass; desiccator prevents moisture absorption before weighing.

Microscopy: start at low power, focus with coarse knob, then high power with fine knob; calculate total magnification = eyepiece × objective.

Aseptic technique: flame loop until red-hot, cool near flame, work within 20 cm of flame, open lids minimally, sterilize surfaces with 70% ethanol.

Quality control (QC) runs with each batch: known control values must fall within acceptable limits (e.g., mean ± 2 SD) before patient results are reported.

Levey–Jennings chart: plots QC values over time; trends, shifts, and outliers indicate systematic or random error.

Westgard rules: 1-2s warning, 1-3s rejection, 2-2s rejection, R-4s rejection, 4-1s and 10x rejection for systematic error.

Documentation: record raw data, calculations, instrument settings, and observations in ink; correct errors with single line, initials, and date.

Good Laboratory Practice (GLP): written standard operating procedures (SOPs), trained personnel, calibrated equipment, traceable records.

Calibration vs. verification: calibration adjusts instrument response to a standard; verification confirms performance within specifications.

Audit trail: chronological record of who did what and when; required for regulatory compliance; must be tamper-evident.

Uncertainty of measurement: report result with expanded uncertainty (k = 2, ~95% confidence); derived from calibration, repeatability, and reference standards.

SBAR communication: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation - standard for handover and critical results.

Closed-loop communication: sender gives message, receiver repeats back, sender confirms; reduces errors in verbal orders.

Chain of command: escalate unresolved issues to supervisor, then laboratory manager, then quality manager.

Documentation of verbal communication: record time, parties, content, and read-back confirmation in the laboratory information system (LIS).

Team roles: laboratory manager, quality officer, technical staff, assistant; clear role boundaries prevent duplication and omission.

Conflict resolution: address behaviour not personality; use 'I' statements; focus on shared goal of accurate, timely results.

Critical result notification: report immediately by phone to clinician; document read-back and time; follow with written report.

Cultural safety: respect diversity, use interpreters, avoid jargon, confirm understanding with teach-back.

Waste segregation: general waste, recyclable, sharps (puncture-resistant container), biological waste (autoclave or incinerate), chemical waste (hazardous).

Chemical waste minimization: substitute less hazardous reagents, micro-scale experiments, purchase only needed quantities, recycle solvents where possible.

Energy efficiency: switch off equipment when not in use, use energy-efficient lighting, maintain fume hoods and freezers, schedule high-energy tasks off-peak.

Water conservation: use distilled water only when necessary, recycle cooling water, fix leaks promptly, use low-flow fixtures.

Sustainable procurement: choose products with recycled content, refillable containers, and minimal packaging; consider lifecycle impact.

Green chemistry principles: atom economy, less hazardous synthesis, safer solvents, design for degradation, real-time analysis for pollution prevention.

Carbon footprint: calculate from electricity, gas, transport, and waste; set reduction targets and monitor progress.

Environmental monitoring: record waste volumes, energy use, water use; report to management; comply with environmental regulations.

Laboratory sectors: clinical diagnostics, pathology, research and development, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, environmental, forensic, veterinary, education.

Regulatory bodies: NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) accreditation, ISO/IEC 17025 for testing and calibration, ISO 15189 for medical laboratories.

Career progression: laboratory assistant → technician → senior technician → scientist → laboratory manager → quality manager/director.

Qualifications: Certificate III/IV in Laboratory Skills, Diploma of Laboratory Technology, Bachelor of Science (Laboratory Medicine/Biomedical Science).

Professional bodies: Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB), Australian Institute of Medical Scientists (AIMS), Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).

Emerging fields: genomics, proteomics, point-of-care testing, automation and robotics, artificial intelligence in pathology, biobanking.

Employment settings: hospitals, private pathology, government laboratories, universities, pharmaceutical companies, agricultural and environmental agencies.

Continuing professional development (CPD): maintain skills through courses, conferences, journal reading; required for accreditation and career advancement.