Training activity information
Details
Perform and troubleshoot analyser calibration
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
- Troubleshooting techniques
- Principle of a calibration curve and the causes of a fail
- Implications of poor calibration
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 foundational knowledge about analyser principles and calibration procedures is necessary?
- What do you hope to learn about the importance of calibration and the process of troubleshooting calibration failures? What is your current understanding of how analysers are calibrated and what can go wrong?
- How will you prepare for this activity (e.g., reviewing analyser manuals, understanding calibration materials)?
- What are some common reasons for calibration failures, and what steps can you take to identify and resolve them? How do you feel about undertaking analyser calibration and potential troubleshooting?
In action
- What steps are you taking to perform the calibration? Are you following the standard operating procedure (SOP) correctly at each stage?
- As the analyser is calibrating, are you observing any unexpected messages or flags? What immediate actions are you taking to investigate these?
- If the calibration fails, what troubleshooting steps are you performing? What is guiding your decisions on which steps to take?
- Are you considering seeking support at any point during the calibration or troubleshooting process?
On action
- What were the steps involved in performing the calibration on the analyser?
- What calibrators were used, and what were their target values?
- What were the initial calibration results?
- Were they within the manufacturer’s acceptable limits?
- If troubleshooting was required, what were the indicators that the calibration had failed or was outside acceptable parameters?
- What specific troubleshooting steps did you undertake? What were the outcomes of these steps?
- Why is analyser calibration a critical step in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of laboratory results?
- What are the potential sources of calibration errors (e.g., incorrect calibrator preparation, analyser malfunction, environmental factors)?
- What are the key principles behind the calibration process for the specific analyser you used?
- What did you learn about identifying and resolving calibration issues?
- What resources (e.g., analyser manuals, SOPs) were helpful during troubleshooting?
- How will this experience enhance your ability to perform analyser calibrations correctly and efficiently in the future?
- What indicators will you be more aware of that might suggest a calibration problem in routine use?
- How will you ensure that calibration procedures are documented accurately and that any troubleshooting steps are recorded?
Beyond action
- Have you performed analyser calibrations on other occasions since this training activity? Were there similar or different challenges encountered?
- Have you reviewed your reflect-on-action notes for this training activity? How does your understanding of analyser calibration compare now?
- Can you recall specific instances where troubleshooting analyser calibration was necessary in subsequent activities or routine work? How did your experience in this training activity inform your approach?
- Have you discussed analyser calibration procedures or troubleshooting with colleagues? Did you gain any new insights by sharing experiences?
- Has this training activity improved your confidence and expertise in performing and troubleshooting analyser calibrations? Do you now have a better understanding of the importance of calibration for the accuracy and reliability of laboratory results?
- Has this experience influenced your approach to quality control and quality assurance procedures in the lab? Have the problem-solving skills developed during troubleshooting in this training activity been applicable to other technical challenges?
- How will your experience with analyser calibration prepare you for working with new or different analytical platforms in the future?
- Will your ability to troubleshoot calibration issues be a valuable asset in ensuring the quality of laboratory services?
- How might this experience contribute to your understanding of laboratory management and the maintenance of equipment?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 |
Outcome
Identify appropriate clinical and laboratory investigations for the investigation of haemostasis. |
| # 7 |
Outcome
Perform quality assurance and control tasks across the range of investigations. |