Training activity information
Details
Isolate serum/plasma from blood samples and store according to local procedure and national guidance
Type
Entrustable training activity (ETA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee repeatedly, consistently, and effectively over time, in a range of situations. This may include occasions where the trainee has not successfully achieved the outcome of the activity themselves. For example, because it was not appropriate to undertake the task in the circumstances or the trainees recognised their own limitations and sought help or advice to ensure the activity reached an appropriate conclusion.
Reflection at multiple timepoints on the trainee learning journey for this activity.
Considerations
- Safe handling of biological materials
- Local procedures and national guidance, retention policies and frequency of samples
- Requirements for informed consent in accordance with HTA
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
What does success look like?
- Identify what is expected of you in relation to isolating serum/plasma and storing it correctly.
- Consider how the learning outcomes apply, specifically in relation to performing the relevant laboratory investigations and employing safe working practices during the isolation and storage process.
- Discuss with your training officer to gain clarity of what is expected of you in relation to centrifugation parameters, separation techniques for difficult samples (e.g., lipaemic), and adherence to temperature and storage duration guidelines.
What is your prior experience of this activity?
- Think about what you already know about processing biological fluids, centrifugation safety, and working with cryogenic storage.
- Consider possible challenges you might face during the activity, such as processing haemolysed or lipaemic samples, or encountering issues with centrifuge balance or temperature control.
- Recognise the scope of your own practice for this activity i.e. know when you will need to seek advice or help, and from whom. You will need to seek advice from your Training Officer when required, for example if the required national guidance for storage conflicts with standard local procedure or if equipment failure affects sample viability.
- Acknowledge how you feel about undertaking this preparatory task which requires manual dexterity and adherence to strict protocols.
What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?
- Consider the specific skills you want to develop, such as optimising separation techniques for challenging blood samples or meticulous documentation of storage locations.
- Identify the specific insights you hope to gain into how sample quality issues (e.g., clotting, haemolysis) impact downstream H&I testing.
What additional considerations do you need to make?
- Consult actions identified following previous experiences of processing or storing clinical samples.
- Identify important information you need to consider before embarking on the activity, such as reviewing the specific blood product required (serum vs plasma) for anticipated tests and clarifying all national guidance documents relevant to sample storage.
In action
Is anything unexpected occurring?
- Are you noticing anything surprising or different from what you anticipate whilst isolating serum/plasma?
- Are you encountering situations such as:
- Any samples behaving unexpectedly during centrifugation or separation e.g., highly lipaemic, haemolysed, or clotted prematurely?
- You encounter equipment issues related to the centrifuge e.g., balance, temperature control or cryogenic storage?
How are you reacting to the unexpected development?
- How is this impacting your actions? For example, are you responding to the situation appropriately? Are you adapting or changing your approach to isolation technique or equipment management?
- Consider the steps you are taking in the moment, such as:
- Immediately documenting the sample condition and implementing an adapted separation technique for difficult samples
- Pausing the procedure to troubleshoot an equipment issue according to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or seeking immediate assistance
- How are you feeling in that moment? For instance, are you finding it difficult to adapt your technique for a challenging sample? Is it affecting your confidence in performing the isolation and storage steps independently?
What is the conclusion or outcome?
- Identify how you are working within your scope of practice. For example, are you successfully isolating viable plasma/serum components despite the difficulty? Or are you needing support because the equipment failure requires senior technical review before the procedure can continue safely?
- What are you learning as a result of the unexpected development? For example, are you mastering a more efficient separation technique for lipaemic samples? Or gaining insight into the factors that compromise plasma/serum quality during the pre-analytical phase?
On action
What happened?
- Begin by summarising the key steps you took when isolating and storing serum/plasma samples.
- Consider specific events, actions, or interactions which felt important, such as how you performed centrifugation and separation or managed a difficult sample (e.g., highly lipaemic or haemolysed).
- Include any ‘reflect-in-action’ moments where you had to adapt to the situation as it unfolded, for instance, immediately adapting your centrifugation speed when noticing a machine imbalance or adjusting pipetting technique for separating layers.
- How did you feel during this experience, e.g., did you feel determined to maintain sample quality or stressed by equipment limitations?
How has this experience contributed to your developing practice?
- Identify what learning you can take from this experience regarding sample isolation and storage techniques and adherence to guidelines. What strengths did you demonstrate, e.g., technical precision in cryogenic storage documentation?
- What skills and/or knowledge gaps were evident, e.g., knowledge of specific national guidance discrepancies or troubleshooting centrifuge issues?
- Compare this experience against previous engagement with similar activities – were any previously identified actions for development achieved? Has your practice improved in adhering to national guidance or employing safe working practices?
- Identify any challenges you experienced, such as haemolysed samples, centrifuge issues, or needing advice on managing storage temperature deviations, and how you reacted to this.
What will you take from the experience moving forward?
- Identify the actions or ‘next steps’ you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learnt, including from any feedback you have received, with regards to improving your separation technique or adherence to storage protocols.
- What will you do differently next time you approach isolating and storing serum/plasma, for instance, by proactively checking centrifuge balance and temperature before every run?
- Do you need to practise any aspect of the activity further, such as handling difficult samples or key learning outcomes related to performing the relevant laboratory investigations?
Beyond action
Have you revisited the experiences?
- How have your subsequent experiences of isolating serum/plasma from blood samples since completing this specific training activity led you to revisit your initial approach or decisions during that activity? For example, how a subsequent experience with a haemolysed sample requiring complex separation adjustments forced you to re-evaluate the diligence of your initial processing technique for challenging samples during your first attempt at this training activity.
- Considering what you understand about sample integrity, timely processing, and correct storage conditions now, were the actions or considerations you identified after your initial reflection on this training activity sufficient? How have you since implemented or adapted improvements in your isolation technique or adherence to national guidance based on further learning and experiences? For example, how you proactively implemented a mandatory check of centrifugation parameters and refrigeration logs based on further learning.
- Has discussing optimal isolation and storage techniques or the impact of handling errors on sample quality with colleagues, peers, or supervisors changed how you now view your initial experience in this training activity? For example, how professional storytelling with a senior colleague about a time when incorrect cryopreservation caused sample degradation refined your understanding of the critical nature of adherence to detailed protocols during the pre-analytical phase.
How have these experiences impacted upon current practice?
- How has the learning from this initial training activity, in combination with subsequent experiences of isolating and storing H&I samples, contributed to your overall confidence and competence in preparing samples for H&I testing while maintaining their integrity, particularly in preparing for general observed assessments (DOPS or OCEs) related to laboratory techniques? For example, how your accumulated ability in performing pre-analytical checks now enables you to manage difficult blood products efficiently during an assessment.
- How has reflecting back on this specific training activity, combined with everything you’ve learned since, shaped your current approach to sample isolation and storage? How does this evolved understanding help you identify when a sample’s quality might be compromised or require deviation from standard procedures and when this is beyond your scope of practice? For example, how your evolved approach means you now routinely seek expert intervention immediately when equipment failure affects crucial temperature control, recognising this falls outside routine troubleshooting scope.
- Looking holistically at your training journey, how has this initial isolation experience, revisited with your current perspective, contributed to your development in meeting the learning outcomes related to performing relevant investigations and practicing in accordance with quality standards? For example, how this foundational experience has supported your development in transferable skills such as aseptic technique and meticulous adherence to detailed protocols that will be valuable in future roles or responsibilities.
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 3 |
Outcome
Perform the relevant laboratory investigations for a range of patients referred to an H&I laboratory. |
| # 6 |
Outcome
Practice in accordance with quality and accreditation standards. |
| # 7 |
Outcome
Employ safe working practices to maintain laboratory equipment, prepare, handle and store laboratory reagents and patient samples. |