Laboratory Procedures Flashcards
7 cards from real CCMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Laboratory Procedures flashcards as text
Under a microscope, which urine sediment finding is most associated with a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
Answer: White blood cell (WBC) clumps and bacteria
The presence of WBC clumps (pyuria) and bacteria in urine sediment is a classic finding in urinary tract infections, indicating an inflammatory response to bacterial invasion.
When preparing a blood smear slide for microscopic examination, the smear should be:
Answer: Thin with a feathered edge and even distribution of cells
A proper blood smear should be thin with a smooth feathered edge, allowing cells to be spread in a monolayer for accurate morphological examination under the microscope.
Which type of urine cast is considered a normal finding in small numbers?
Answer: Hyaline casts
Hyaline casts are composed of Tamm-Horsfall protein and can be found in small numbers (0–2 per low-power field) in normal urine; increased numbers may suggest dehydration or strenuous exercise.
What is the purpose of centrifuging a urine specimen before microscopic examination?
Answer: To concentrate the formed elements (cells, casts, crystals) into a pellet for examination
Centrifugation concentrates the cellular elements, casts, and crystals from urine into a pellet, which is then resuspended and examined microscopically for accurate sediment analysis.
A Gram stain that shows pink (red) rod-shaped organisms indicates:
Answer: Gram-negative bacilli
Gram-negative bacteria appear pink or red after the Gram stain decolorization step because their thin peptidoglycan layer does not retain the crystal violet dye; rod-shaped organisms are classified as bacilli.
Which of the following is the proper procedure for disposing of a used lancet after a fingerstick glucose test?
Answer: Place it immediately into a puncture-resistant sharps container
Used lancets are sharps and must be immediately disposed of in a puncture-resistant sharps container to prevent needlestick injuries and comply with OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards.
What does a positive result on a urine pregnancy test (hCG) dipstick indicate?
Answer: The presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine
A positive urine pregnancy test detects the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced by the placenta shortly after a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall.