Competency information
Details
Perform at least three of the following methods to specified quality standards:
- prepare blood and bone marrow aspirate films
- peripheral blood cell microscopy
- automated analysers to quantify erythrocytes, leucocytes, platelets, reticulocytes and white cell differentiation
- Flow cytometry to enumerate blast cells and identify their lineage
- Immunomagnetic cell selection
Considerations
- Principles and scientific basis of automated analysers
- Understand that automated haematology analysers may fail to provide a WBC and/or differential result when abnormal WBC are present
- Bone marrow aspiration, trephine biopsy, preparation and staining techniques for the morphological identification of cells in bone marrow in normal and pathological conditions
- Collection of trephine and bone marrow aspirates and their correct application
- Methods and techniques for preparation of bone marrow cells for microscopy
- Principles of microscopy
- Principles and scientific basis of flow cytometers
- Understand that flow cytometry analysis is subjective
- The principles of staining and the application of staining techniques including H&E, Perls stain and Romanowsky dyes
- The principles of immunomagnetic cell selection techniques and the impact this may have on down-stream testing
- Understand the pre-analytical variables that will affect the appearance of cells
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 | Outcome Receive, prepare and process specimens for solid tumour investigation To include supervised dissection, tissue selection cutting, fixation and staining, as appropriate |
| # 2 | Outcome Receive, prepare and process specimens for haematological malignancy investigation To include sampling methods, correct sample procedures, collection and storage of samples nucleic acid extraction and quality assessment |
| # 3 | Outcome Use microscopic and/or digital imaging examination techniques to investigate specimens |
| # 4 | Outcome Recognise normal cellular morphology of representative tissues and organs and common pathobiological processes associated with them |
| # 5 | Outcome Perform a range of laboratory techniques used in screening and investigating histopathological and haematological malignancy disorders |
| # 6 | Outcome Apply the principles of internal quality control and external quality assessment and draw conclusions about assay performance |
| # 7 | Outcome Use laboratory IT systems for the safe handling, processing and storage of patient data |
| # 8 | Outcome Interpret results of clinical diagnostic tests |