Histology Laboratory Management Flashcards

A histotechnician is asked to dispose of used formalin fixative. Which regulation primarily governs proper disposal of this chemical?

Answer: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) as a hazardous waste

Formalin is regulated as a hazardous waste under RCRA, requiring proper manifesting and disposal through licensed hazardous waste contractors.

Under CAP accreditation standards, how frequently must a histology laboratory perform and document calibration of its microtome blade-thickness settings?

Answer: According to manufacturer recommendations and laboratory policy, with documentation

CAP requires calibration per manufacturer recommendations and laboratory-defined policy, with records maintained; there is no universal mandated daily requirement.

Which type of quality control material is MOST appropriate for monitoring day-to-day staining consistency in an H&E protocol?

Answer: Multi-tissue control block containing a variety of tissue types

A multi-tissue control block allows simultaneous assessment of staining characteristics across multiple tissue types, providing the broadest quality check for H&E.

When developing a laboratory's chemical hygiene plan, which element is MANDATORY under OSHA's Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450)?

Answer: Designation of a chemical hygiene officer

OSHA's Laboratory Standard requires that laboratories designate a chemical hygiene officer responsible for implementing and overseeing the chemical hygiene plan.

A laboratory is adopting a new immunohistochemistry antibody clone. Which validation step determines the optimal antibody dilution?

Answer: Titration across multiple dilutions on known positive and negative tissues

Titration using serial dilutions on known positive and negative tissues identifies the dilution that provides optimal signal-to-noise ratio for the specific lab's conditions.

In lean laboratory management, what is the term for any step in a process that consumes resources but adds no value from the customer's perspective?

Answer: Waste (muda)

In lean methodology, waste (muda) refers to any activity that consumes time, materials, or labor without adding value to the final product or service.

A technician reports that the automated slide stainer produces inconsistent eosin intensity across a batch. Which factor should be investigated FIRST?

Answer: Eosin solution concentration and time of last reagent change

Inconsistent eosin intensity is most commonly caused by depleted or diluted eosin solution, making reagent concentration and change date the first variable to investigate.