CSMLS MLA Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Order of draw

Sequence for venipuncture tubes: blood culture, sodium citrate (light blue), serum (red/gold), heparin (green), EDTA (lavender), glycolytic inhibitor (grey). Following it prevents additive cross-contamination that distorts results.

EDTA mechanism

EDTA chelates calcium ions, blocking the coagulation cascade. This preserves cellular morphology and is why lavender tubes are used for complete blood counts and hemoglobin testing.

Sodium citrate ratio

Coagulation tubes contain a 9:1 blood-to-additive ratio. Underfilling raises the citrate concentration relative to plasma and falsely prolongs clotting times, so short-draw tubes must be rejected.

Hemolysis effect

Red cell rupture releases potassium, LDH, and AST into plasma, falsely elevating them, while diluting or chemically interfering with other analytes. Recollect when interference is clinically significant.

Tourniquet time limit

Apply the tourniquet for no more than one minute before venipuncture. Prolonged stasis causes hemoconcentration, raising potassium, protein, and cell counts and producing misleading results.

Two patient identifiers

Confirm identity using at least two independent identifiers, such as full name and date of birth or health number. Room or bed numbers are never acceptable identifiers.

Blood culture collection

Collect before antimicrobial therapy, cleanse the bottle septum, inoculate aerobic and anaerobic bottles, and never refrigerate. Transport at room temperature to preserve fastidious organisms.

Routine Practices

Infection control precautions applied to all blood, body fluids, secretions, and non-intact skin regardless of perceived risk, because infection status cannot be assumed from appearance.

Hand hygiene priority

Hand hygiene is the single most effective measure to prevent healthcare-associated infection. Perform it before and after patient contact and after glove removal.

Sharps handling rule

Never recap, bend, or break needles by hand. Place used sharps directly into an engineered puncture-resistant container located at the point of use.

RACE sequence

Fire response: Rescue anyone in danger, Alarm the fire department, Contain the fire by closing doors, and Extinguish or Evacuate according to the situation.

PASS technique

Fire extinguisher use: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep from side to side until the fire is out.

Biological spill cleanup

Don PPE, contain the spill with absorbent material, disinfect with an appropriate sodium hypochlorite solution, absorb, and dispose as biomedical waste. Report the spill per policy.

WHMIS and SDS

Workplace hazardous materials information system; the safety data sheet provides hazard classification, handling, storage, and first-aid information for each chemical in the laboratory.

Critical value reporting

Report panic values to the responsible caregiver within a defined turnaround time, obtain read-back, and document date, time, value, recipient, and caller.

Informed consent

Explain the procedure, purpose, risks, and alternatives in plain language, confirm understanding, and respect the patient's right to refuse without coercion.

Scope of practice

The tasks an MLA is authorized to perform, defined by the competency profile and employer policy. Performing tasks outside this scope is a professional and legal risk.

Error disclosure

Report errors and near-misses honestly and promptly through the incident reporting system. Concealment is a professional and ethical failure that endangers future patients.

SBAR handover

Structured communication: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation. It reduces omissions and misunderstandings during handovers and critical conversations.

Confidentiality

Personal health information may be shared only on a need-to-know basis and through secure channels. Unauthorized disclosure is a breach of privacy law and professional ethics.

Plain language

Communication using everyday words and short sentences, avoiding jargon, with teach-back to confirm understanding, especially when language or hearing barriers exist.

24-hour urine collection

Discard the first void, then collect all subsequent voids including the final one at the endpoint. Keep refrigerated or on preservative and document start and stop times.

Midstream urine

Cleanse the area, void a small amount, collect the midstream portion in a sterile container, and transport promptly or refrigerate to preserve organism viability.

Therapeutic drug monitoring

Collect at the correct time relative to dosing, usually a trough before the next dose, and document the dosing time. Steady state is required for meaningful interpretation.

Fasting requirement

Typically 8 to 12 hours without food for glucose and lipid panels; water is allowed. Document fasting status when the test requires it.

Pediatric heel puncture

Puncture the medial or lateral plantar surface of the heel in infants, warm the site, wipe the first drop, and avoid squeezing to prevent hemolysis and tissue fluid dilution.

Add-on testing

Adding a test to an existing specimen. Verify stability, volume, and tube type before adding; do not add tests to unsuitable or out-of-stability specimens.

Aliquot labelling

Label secondary containers with two patient identifiers, the test name, date, time, and the initials of the aliquoter, using the correct tube type and volume.

Chain of custody

An unbroken documented record of every person who handled a forensic or legal specimen, with signatures, dates, and times from collection to final disposal.

Specimen rejection

Reject unlabelled or mislabelled specimens, wrong tubes, clotted anticoagulated blood, insufficient volume, expired devices, and improper transport. Document and notify the sender.

Triple packaging

Transport packaging for infectious substances: leakproof primary container, absorbent secondary packaging, and rigid outer packaging with correct UN marking and labels.

Turnaround time

Report time minus collection time. The pre-analytical phase accounts for the majority of laboratory errors, so collection and transport steps carry the highest risk.