Lab Support Services Unit 2

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Questions and Answers

What is a crucial step when receiving laboratory supplies?

Assuming all items are correct without verification.

Inspecting items upon receipt and documenting any discrepancies. (correct)

Disposing of packing materials before verifying the contents.

Immediately placing items into storage without inspection.

When ordering lab supplies with shorter expiration dates, what approach is generally preferred?

Ordering slightly more than needed and more frequently. (correct)

Ordering less than needed to avoid waste if the expiration date arrives soon.

Ignoring the expiration date as they are usually very conservative.

Ordering a large quantity to minimize the frequency of reordering.

What consideration is crucial when deciding to purchase lab supplies in bulk?

If there is space available in the office to store the bulk orders.

The current trends in laboratory supply purchasing.

The color of the packaging.

Whether the bulk order provides discounts that outweigh the risk of overstocking. (correct)

Which factor should be considered when storing laboratory supplies, according to the text?

Optimal conditions like temperature and humidity, specific for each item. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the initial step in manual cleaning of glassware?

Rinsing with warm water to remove loose particles. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In automated glassware cleaning, what is one of the key considerations prior loading?

Pre-rinsing or scraping off heavy residues and proper placement to prevent contact with other glassware. (B) Signup and view all the answers

When air drying glassware, what is the recommended practice?

Placing the glassware on racks to dry naturally (D) Signup and view all the answers

What role does documentation play when receiving lab supplies?

Documentation helps tracking discrepancies and managing inventory. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using dry heat sterilization?

It can damage or warp sensitive materials (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key advantage of using filtration for sterilization?

It is suitable for heat sensitive applications (C) Signup and view all the answers

What step should be immediately performed when receiving a specimen in the lab?

Initial check for cracks or leaks (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the most important factor when preparing media in a microbiology lab?

Reading recipe card multiple times (B) Signup and view all the answers

What kind of information should be included on the label of a prepared media?

Name of media, storage information, and expiration date (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why is water quality crucial in a laboratory setting?

It impacts the accuracy and reliability of results (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does conductivity measure in the context of laboratory water?

The ionic content and purity of the water (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is an important aspect to consider for decontamination?

Following the SOP of your respective lab (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a primary advantage of using an oven for drying glassware?

It allows for a quick and thorough drying process. (C) Signup and view all the answers

A laboratory technician needs to sterilize a batch of glass beakers and cylinders. Which sterilization method is best suited for this task?

Dry heat sterilization in an oven (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of relying solely on air drying for glassware?

It may not completely dry some items. (C) Signup and view all the answers

When using an autoclave for sterilization, which of the following is a critical requirement?

Ensuring caps on containers are loose and indicating sterilization with tape or indicators. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant drawback of manual washing of glassware in a laboratory setting?

It can be inconsistent in results. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a limitation of using hydrogen peroxide gas for sterilization?

There is a possible concern about material compatibility and the size limitations of the chamber. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is one advantage of automated washing systems compared to manual washing?

They can wash a large volume of glassware. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why is it necessary to use indicators when sterilizing glassware?

To verify if the correct temperature was reached for sterilization. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Unit 2 Support Services

This unit covers critical lab support functions.

Agenda

Lab Supplies: Obtaining, receiving, storing, and inventory management.
Glassware Preparation: Cleaning protocols (manual vs. automated), drying (air vs. oven), and sterilization procedures.
Specimen Receiving, processing, and distribution: Chain of custody, initial inspection, processing, preparation, and distribution.
Media Preparation: Types of media used, preparation steps, labeling, and quality control.
Sterilization methods: Dry heat (foil) and autoclave (plastic/metal caps).
Proper Decontamination and Disposal: Following SOPs, material-specific decontamination procedures, and safe disposal.
Quality of Laboratory Water: Importance, testing methods (conductivity, pH, bacterial count, TOC), and frequency of testing, along with necessary equipment.

Lab Supplies

Obtain supplies from reputable suppliers for bulk purchasing.
Inspect supplies upon receipt, document properly.
Store supplies in optimal conditions (temperature and humidity) and organize them.
Use regular audits, inventory tracking systems, and reorder points.
Ordering Considerations: Purchasing guidelines, item usage rate, expiration dates, order lead time, and appropriate bulk ordering strategies.

Glassware Preparation

Manual cleaning: Rinsing with warm water, mild detergent, and specific brushes, thorough rinsing.
Automated cleaning: Pre-rinsing/scraping, loading glassware, proper cycle selection, and careful unloading.
Drying: Air drying or oven drying, selecting appropriate temperature settings.
Inspection for defects or contamination.

Glassware Prep: Pros and Cons (Manual vs. Automated)

Manual: Control and customization, specialized handling of delicate glassware, immediate washing.
- Cons: Labor intensive, time-consuming, inconsistent, risk of breakage.
Automated: Consistent, efficient, handling of large volumes, reduced time.
- Cons: Cost of machines, less time/labor control, possibly not suitable for all types of glassware, possible maintenance.
Air Drying: Simple, does not require equipment,
- Cons: Slow process, may not completely dry.
Oven Drying: Fast, complete drying,
- Cons: Cost of machines, not suitable for all items, may require energy.

Glassware Prep: Sterilization

Dry Heat: Temperatures from 160-200°C, good for cylinders, open flasks, and beakers. Use a dry heat indicator.
Autoclave: 15 psi, 121°C for 15 to 30 minutes for plastic or metal caps. Use autoclave tape and/or indicators.

Sterilization Methods

Physical: Autoclaving (high temperatures), Dry heat.
Chemical: Hydrogen peroxide gas.

Specimen Receiving, Processing, and Distribution

Specimen Collection: Method of collection, labeling, submitter form (information regarding storage and preservation required), and shipment method.
Receiving: Chain of custody, initial inspection (checking for cracks/leaks).
Processing: Opening packages, labeling, sorting, initial preparation.
Distribution: Secure carriers, organizing lab forms, delivering to appropriate labs.

Media Prep

Types of media used, steps for preparation, accurate weighing of materials, homogeneous mixing, pH adjustments, sterilization and preventing overheating, labeling (media name, date made, and expiration date).
Quality control of media: Inspecting and using only unexpired supplies.

Proper Decontamination

Follow respective lab SOPs for decontamination.
Appropriately decontaminate different lab materials.
Use safe disposal practices according to regulations.
Importance of waste segregation.

Quality of Laboratory Water

Importance of quality water: Accuracy and reliability of results.
Testing methods: Conductivity (measures ionic content), pH testing, bacterial count, and total organic carbon (TOC) tests.
Testing frequency: Daily, monthly, or quarterly.
Equipment: Use specific purity and pH meters, and filtration.

Conclusion

Lab support services are crucial to a laboratory's success.
Everything, from glassware to water quality, has an essential role in achieving reliable results.

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Description

This quiz focuses on key lab support functions essential for laboratory operations. It covers topics such as lab supplies management, glassware preparation, specimen processing, media preparation, sterilization methods, and the quality of laboratory water. Assess your understanding of these critical processes in a lab environment.