Training activity information
Details
Recommend appropriate actions following the identification of an aberrant population on routine immunology flow cytometry, and determine further testing where suitable and escalate as appropriate
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- Local SOPs
- Local escalation pathways
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- Consider what constitutes an ‘appropriate action’ and how to determine ‘further testing’. What are the established protocols within your laboratory for reporting and escalating aberrant flow cytometry results? What further tests are typically indicated based on different types of aberrant populations identified by routine flow cytometry? Think about what you already know about escalating results and the communication pathways within your organisation. What aspects of this process would you like to understand better?
- Consider possible challenges you might face, such as uncertainty about the significance of a particular finding or difficulty in determining the most appropriate further tests. How will you approach these uncertainties? Identify how you feel about the responsibility of recommending actions and escalating findings. How can you prepare yourself to handle this responsibility effectively?
In action
- Following the identification of an aberrant population, what specific actions are you considering recommending? What factors are influencing your decisions about further testing ? When considering escalation, what specific criteria are you using to determine the urgency and to whom the escalation should be directed? Which parts of this decision-making process feel more automatic, and which require more careful consideration?
- What challenges are you facing in deciding on the most appropriate next steps or the level of urgency for escalation? Are you ensuring that your recommendations and escalation decisions are within your defined professional responsibilities?
On action
- What aberrant population(s) did you identify in the flow cytometry data and what were their key characteristics t? What actions and/or did you recommend following this identification? Did you gain a better understanding of the appropriate follow-up procedures for different types of aberrant populations detected by flow cytometry? Were there any challenging scenarios where the appropriate action or further testing was not immediately clear? What did you learn from these situations?
- What aspects of recommending further actions and determining escalation pathways do you feel you need to strengthen and how will you address these? How will you apply the principles learned in this activity to future scenarios involving aberrant flow cytometry findings? What support or resources (e.g., discussions with senior colleagues, review of case management) would help you develop further confidence in this area?
Beyond action
- Since this DTA, have you encountered other cases with aberrant flow cytometry populations? Have you re-evaluated your decision-making process regarding further testing and escalation based on these subsequent experiences ?
- What have you learned about effective communication in these situations? Are there any areas where you have refined your judgment or understanding of when escalation is necessary? Have you discussed challenging cases involving aberrant populations with senior colleagues? Did these discussions offer new perspectives on appropriate actions and escalation pathways?
- How has it influenced your confidence in making recommendations? Can you identify specific instances where the learning from this DTA has directly informed your decisions about further testing or escalation in real-world scenarios? How has this experience contributed to your preparedness for where you might need to communicate findings and recommend next steps to another healthcare professional?
- What transferable skills did you develop that will be applicable to various aspects of your future role? What specific areas development did you identify and what are your next step to address them?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 2 |
Outcome
Analyse, interpret and report on laboratory investigations for haematological malignancies, including recognition of abnormal results. |
| # 3 |
Outcome
Summarise the limitations of methods used to aid diagnosis of haematological malignancies. |