Laboratory equipment: incubator, coaching, and professional issues

Incubator

Incubators are cabinets that maintain constant temperatures. Generally used in the microbiology laboratory, an incubator can be set to a specific temperature. Microbiology departments usually maintain a constant temperature of 35° to 37°C (95° to 98.6°F), although other temperatures may also be appropriate. Incubators usually have warning alarms that sound if the temperature exceeds or falls below a specified range. The temperature should be checked daily, and the cabinets should be cleaned regularly with a disinfectant approved by the manufacturer. These procedures should be documented every time they are completed.

Patient coaching

For many testing procedures, patients must be given a specific set of instructions to follow. The provider often communicates the instructions to the patient but may also ask the medical assistant to reinforce the information. For example, patients may be required to fast 8 to 12 hours before blood samples are collected.

Often, the medical assistant is responsible for communicating provider directions that need to be followed before laboratory testing. Make sure you have reviewed the provider’s orders correctly before explaining the procedure to the patient. The patient should be given verbal and written instructions prior to testing. Also, include a phone number on the instruction sheet so the patient can call if he or she has questions after returning home.

Legal and ethical issues

All health and safety risks cannot be anticipated or eliminated, but the risks are greatly reduced when everyone who works in the laboratory is conscious of safety guidelines.

Use common sense, and document everything. If you are in doubt about the safety of a procedure, ask your supervisor. If you are aware of a potential safety problem, report it to the person in charge. Your welfare, the welfare of the patient, and your co-workers may depend on your commitment to safety.

Patient-centered care

Before the patient receives test results, the medical assistant must make sure the provider has reviewed and signed the results and has given permission for the patient to be told about them. Most providers personally inform patients of laboratory results, but some providers may delegate this duty to office staff, depending on state law and the scope of practice the provider delegates to the medical assistant. Regardless of who informs the patient of test results, the individual must make sure the specific guidelines for communication are followed as stipulated in the patient’s Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) release form. Maintaining a patient’s privacy and confidentiality are crucial factors that must be considered when dealing with test results.

Professional behaviors

The physician office laboratory (POL) performs the most common CLIA-waived tests, which a medical assistant may perform only when the office holds a Certificate of Waiver; moderate- and high-complexity testing falls outside the medical assistant’s scope of practice and must be performed by qualified laboratory personnel, as delegated by state law and the supervising provider. Professionalism in this setting spans patient education, patient preparation, specimen collection, testing procedures, and the accurate documentation of results as you work with others.