Equipment Operation & Maintenance Flashcards
7 cards from real CLT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Equipment Operation & Maintenance flashcards as text
An autoclave used for sterilization of laboratory materials fails its biological indicator (Geobacillus stearothermophilus spore strip) test. What is the correct response?
Answer: Remove the autoclave from service, notify supervisor, and investigate the failure
A failed biological indicator means sterilization was not achieved; the autoclave must be taken out of service and the failure investigated before further use.
When calibrating a laboratory balance, certified calibration weights must be:
Answer: Handled with forceps or gloves to prevent oils from altering their mass
Skin oils and moisture from bare hands can alter the mass of precision calibration weights, so forceps or clean gloves must always be used when handling them.
A co-oximeter in the blood gas laboratory requires a reference solution check. The purpose of this check is to:
Answer: Verify the wavelength accuracy for multi-wavelength hemoglobin measurements
Co-oximeters use multiple wavelengths to distinguish oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, and methemoglobin; reference solution checks verify wavelength calibration.
Which action is required when a refrigerator used to store reagents reads 10°C on the temperature log, exceeding the 2–8°C required range?
Answer: Quarantine all temperature-sensitive reagents, document, and notify the supervisor
Reagents stored outside their required temperature range may be compromised; they must be quarantined and the excursion documented and reported per laboratory policy.
What does a Levy-Jennings chart primarily display?
Answer: Control values plotted sequentially to visualize trends and shifts
A Levy-Jennings chart plots sequential control values against time, with ±1, ±2, and ±3 SD lines, allowing visualization of trends, shifts, and random error.
The carryover rate of an automated analyzer is best assessed by:
Answer: Analyzing a high-concentration sample followed immediately by a low-concentration sample
Carryover is measured by running a very high-concentration sample followed by a low-concentration sample and calculating the amount of high-level material contaminating the low-level result.
When a flow cytometer laser alignment is compromised, which control parameter is MOST directly affected?
Answer: Side scatter coefficient of variation (CV) for beads
Laser alignment directly affects light scatter uniformity; a misaligned laser produces high CVs on calibration bead side scatter measurements, indicating poor alignment.