Laboratory test result interpretation for primary care doctors in south africa. Interpret the clinical significance of abnormal laboratory values. When this clot is degraded by plasmin, degradation products are produced. Free textbooks of medical laboratory technology in pdf download by idowu olabode. Proposed solutions to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and safety of ordering clinical laboratory tests and interpreting the results include clinical decision support tools, trending of test results in electronic medical records emrs, 2 conditionspecific algorithms to help select tests, 3 professional practice guidelines, 4 and reflex. The most common tests include chemistry panels, hematology such as the complete blood count, and blood gases.
Diagnostic and laboratory tests are tools that provide invaluable insights and information about the patient. Theres always the fear of messing things up and not being able to meet the patients health needs. After consulting with clinical lab scientists, the task force was. Tests for hbv and hcv are both available, but their interpretation can. Advising clinicians on laboratory test selection and. Decimal numbers and safe interpretation of clinical. Depending on the test and the methods used, testing can be performed at a centralized laboratory, the hospital bedside, the physicians office. Hematology archives medical laboratory scientist mls. Laboratory test result interpretation for primary care. There are numerous laboratory tests that can be done. A technician or your doctor analyzes the test samples to see if your results fall within the normal range. Values took on the mission of updating the laboratory values interpretation resource to. Of the 61 respondents, 23% reported a lack of confidence in interpreting the results of complex tests. In fact, the results obtained from a single person given the same test on different days can also vary.
A medical laboratory or clinical laboratory is a laboratory where clinical pathology tests are carried out on clinical specimens to obtain information about the health of a patient to aid in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Because pathologists do not get paid for this activity and most do not have the content knowledge to be effective in advising fellow doctors about clinical laboratory test selection and result interpretation. However, there is obviously still a lot to do regarding better reporting of data and information. Interpretation by physicians of clinical laboratory results. Methods a decimal comparison test determined the comprehension of decimals numbers. Interpretation of a laboratory result requires that the result can be related to a relevant reference value. Complying with documentation requirements for laboratory. Interpretation by students of clinical laboratory results. List circumstances that may produce falsenegative or falsepositive laboratory results. At the end of this program, each participant will be able to. Clinical medical laboratories are an example of applied science, as opposed to research laboratories that focus on basic science, such as found in. Complying with documentation requirements for laboratory services mln fact sheet page 2 of 4 icn 909221 august 2018 laboratory results attestation or signature log for illegible signatures medicare signature requirements unsigned physician orders or unsigned requisitions alone do not support physician intent to order. Official revised 8172018 course syllabus hprs 1209 interpretation of laboratory results catalog description. Getting familiar with and interpreting laboratory values can be intimidating, particularly to new nurses.
Utilize clinical laboratory data to monitor various disease states. How to read and understand medical laboratory results. An introduction to interpretation of commonly ordered laboratory results. See section 6 for more detail about specific analytes. We conducted a small survey to obtain some idea of how physicians do, in fact, interpret a laboratory result. Patient education on blood, urine, and other lab tests. Interpreting chemistry and hematology for adult patients.
Identify common causes for abnormal laboratory values. Important to interpret for the patient and disease states involved, e. The clinical interpretation of laboratory results is an integral part of laboratory services. This course was not designed to be a lab manual that you carry in. Full text full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Physicians in specialties that order the tests are teaching medical students laboratory medicine and test use with minimal input from laboratory scientists who implement and maintain the quality control for those tests. Lab test are integral to patient care and depend on cooperation and support of ward staff for accurate and timely interpretation of the results. Laboratory tests check a sample of your blood, urine, or body tissues. The lpn lab values manual was first compiled in response to a lack of information in the form of.
Laboratory values and interpretation a nurses ultimate. Interpretation of laboratory results acute care testing. This test is used for the detection of fibrinfibrinogen degradation products in patients suspected of having thrombotic disorders. When a diagnostic test is performed in the medical laboratory, the outcome of the test is a result. Textbook of medical laboratory technology darshan p. Analytic precision in clinical chemistry and medical decisions. Medical laboratory scientist mls are professional covering all aspect of laboratory including chemical and clinical chemistry, blood banking and hematological parameters, immunologic and serological, cytopathology and histopathological, microbiology and bacteriology, biochemical testing, body fluids such as blood, urine, csf, stool, sputum, peritoneal, pericardial and. The result may be a patient result or it may be a quality control qc result. That way, you can discuss any unusual results facetoface. Factors that can cause persontoperson variation in laboratory test results include a persons age, sex, race, medical history, and general health.
Fibrinogen is a blood clotting factor produced by hepatocytes and megakaryocytes. Laboratory results provide objective data about patient health across the continuum of patient care. The site is produced by aacc, a global scientific and. Course syllabus hprs 1209 interpretation of laboratory. The tests use a range because what is normal differs from person to person.
Quality control in the medical laboratory is a statistical process used to monitor and evaluate the analytical process that produces patient results. A practical guide to interpreting blood test results. Widmanns clinical interpretation of laboratory tests. Common laboratory tests and their interpretation oxford. Its a good idea to schedule a doctors appointment after undergoing lab work. It is based on underlying concepts that govern the proper use and interpretation. If youre waiting for lab test results to come back or youre trying to figure out what they mean, the process and all those medical terms and numbers can be confusing. The interpretation of clinical laboratory test results michael schaer, dvm, diplomate acvim, acvecc university of florida, college of veterinary medicine with the advent of modern medical technology, the availability of hematological and serum biochemical data to the veterinary practitioner has become commonplace. Lab values for this course are taken from the rush medical laboratory rush university.
The tests in a clinical chemistry laboratory measure concentrations of biologically important ions salts and minerals, small organic molecules and large macromolecules primarily proteins. Pdf laboratory test result interpretation for primary. Lab values for this course are taken from the rush medical laboratory rush university medical center, 2012. In the laboratory a lot is done to assist in the interpretation of results, besides reference values, measurement error, flagged results and so on. Methodswe asked 20 house officers, 20 fourthyear medical students and 20. Free textbooks of medical laboratory technology in pdf. Familiarizing and interpreting laboratory values for nurses dont always have to feel that way. Inside, find practical approaches to the interpretation of abnormal lab tests.
Get a printable copy pdf file of the complete article. Additional questions sought the participants understanding of concentrations and reference ranges, and their preferences for the. This course will take a closer look at these components. Approximately 60% to 70% of medical decisions are based on laboratory results. Test results can be used to aid the patient, physician, and caregiver in reaching decisions. This can be the same patients earlier results, if this is possible, or be done by comparing to data from a normal population. Internal medicine, laboratory medicine comments off on oxford handbook of clinical and laboratory investigation oxford medical handbooks 4th edition april 2018 release dec 04 2018 with major advances in technology there are thousands of clinical and laboratory tests available, forming a key part of the diagnostic process in the highly. Laboratory medicine is a distinct medical discipline and a tool for patient care that is used in all specialties. Reading this book will equip you with sound understanding and medical judgment that will surprise you. Knowing the different normal lab values is an important step in making an informed clinical decision as a nurse. Medical care is often necessary for someone with electrolyte. Some lab tests provide precise information about specific health issues, whereas others. Lab tests are used to help confirm a diagnosis, monitor an illness, and the patients response to treatment.
With some laboratory tests, the results obtained for healthy people can vary somewhat from person to person. Hypoglycemia, liver disease, adrenal insufficiency, excess insulin. Clinical chemistry is the branch of laboratory medicine that focuses primarily on molecules. Interpretation of laboratory tests university of washington. Medical laboratory tests involve analyzing samples of blood, urine andor other body fluids or tissues in order to better understand a persons health state.
This book should be of help to nursing in understanding some of the more common tests which are conducted. Understanding laboratory tests fact sheet national. Interpretation of clinical laboratory tests date qy p or too high due to improper timing acetaminophen toxicity false interpretation if drawn too soon or too late digoxin level 12 hours to distribute into tissues false high if drawn too soon not waiting long enough post fatty meal to perform bs, triglycerides, cholesterol levels. Nurses should become familiar with tests that are frequently requested in.
Clinical practice consultant, revision september 2011. Lab values and their meanings forward the laboratory services are very pleased to see this report. As emerging research regarding early mobilization and advancements in medical practice is evolving, the academy of acute care physical therapy american physical therapy association task force on lab values took on the mission of updating the laboratory values interpretation resource to better accommodate practitioners needs. To investigate whether this problem is present at the beginning of their professional education, this study analysed the use of laboratory data by 126 firstyear medical and nursing students. Clinical laboratory test results are a very important parameter in diagnosis. It is converted to fibrin clot during blood coagulation.
Previously available only as part of the clinician s guide to laboratory medicine package, the new 3rd edition of the clinician s guide to laboratory medicine. Recognize normal ranges for common laboratory values in adults. Objective to determine the understanding of decimal numbers by medical laboratory scientists, doctors and nurses. In the latter case, to make use of the test result a reference area for the analysis in question must be. Primary care physicians challenges in ordering clinical. Teaching medical students basic principles of laboratory. Laboratory tests interpretation nurses learning network. Academy of acute care physical therapy apta task force. The results of diagnostic test are often misinterpreted by physicians and nurses.
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