Course Title: Perform histological tests

National Element Code & Title:

PMLTEST503B Perform histological tests

Performance Criteria:

1 Monitor and maintain resources for pathologists in cut-up area

2 Liaise with clinical and nursing staff if required by enterprise regarding tissue fixative requirements in areas, such as wards, theatres and mortuary

3 Monitor and maintain volumes of fixatives in areas, such as wards, theatres and mortuary

4 Store slides and blocks according to legal and enterprise requirements under conditions that prevent degeneration

Performance Criteria:

1 Check that flotation bath is ready and satisfactory for use

2 Prepare microtome and associated equipment to accommodate requirements of tissue batch

3 Secure block in microtome following specified safety procedures

4 Label required number of microscope slides with patient identification as prescribed by enterprise

5 Cut tissue sections according to needs of subsequent procedures

6 Float sections onto water bath to flatten tissues

7 Pick up sections onto microscope slides ensuring patient identification on slides matches that on block

8 Apply procedures to prevent cross-contamination between patient tissues

9 Maintain tissue sections in conditions compatible with intended subsequent procedures

Performance Criteria:

1 Select embedding medium that is compatible with infiltrating agent

2 Check that temperature of embedding medium is suitable for embedding process

3 Check that volume of embedding medium is sufficient for uninterrupted embedding of processor load

4 Embed tissue in correct orientation

5 Apply procedures to prevent cross-contamination between patient tissues

6 Allow block to solidify according to requirements of embedding medium

Performance Criteria:

1 Use established safe work practices and personal protective equipment to ensure personal safety and that of other laboratory personnel

2 Handle non-fixed tissues safely to minimise cross-infection and contamination of personnel and environment

3 Store fixed tissues as specified to minimise exposure of personnel to dangerous fumes and vapours

4 Clean up spills using appropriate techniques to protect personnel, work area and environment from contamination

5 Minimise the generation of wastes

6 Ensure the safe disposal of biohazardous materials and other laboratory wastes in accordance with enterprise procedures

Performance Criteria:

1 Make entries on report forms or into computer systems, accurately calculating, recording or transcribing data as required

2 File and store tissue sections to facilitate efficient retrieval as required

3 Maintain instrument logs as required by accreditation checks

4 Maintain confidentiality and security of all clinical information, and laboratory data and records

Performance Criteria:

1 Arrange tissues and request forms in cut-up area

2 Label tissue cassettes as required to maintain identity during subsequent procedures

3 Prepare containers for transport of tissues to processor

4 Select tissue fixative to prepare tissue for subsequent procedures

5 Weigh organs and count tissue chips and shavings

6 Take notes of gross features of specimens during cut-up if required

Performance Criteria:

1 Check and match specimens and request forms before they are accepted

2 Return specimens and request forms that do not comply with requirements to their source with reasons for non-acceptance

3 Process routine and non-routine specimens according to enterprise protocols

4 Log acceptable specimens, applying required document tracking mechanisms

5 Dispatch specimens to referral laboratories as required

6 Store specimens appropriately until required for testing

Performance Criteria:

1 Arrange tissues and request forms in cut-up area

2 Label tissue cassettes as required to maintain identity during subsequent procedures

3 Prepare containers for transport of tissues to processor

4 Select tissue fixative to prepare tissue for subsequent procedures

5 Weigh organs and count tissue chips and shavings

6 Take notes of gross features of specimens during cut-up if required

Performance Criteria:

1 Apply staining procedures to demonstrate required morphological features

2 Prepare labile reagents for immediate use

3 Select reagents for specified technique, ensuring reagent sequence matches standard procedure

4 Stain sections according to method accommodating any authorised variations and applying required quality control

5 Mount slides using medium compatible with staining technique

6 Examine sections microscopically to ensure expected staining outcomes are achieved and procedural artefacts are detected

7 Confirm macroscopically or microscopically that tissue type conforms with labelling and pathologist specifications

8 Participate in final check to establish that the number of slides tallies with the worksheet

9 Attach permanent label giving specimen details as required by enterprise

Di Fiore MSH. Atlas of Human Histology Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia. 
 
Wheater PR, Burkitt HG. Functional Histology, Daniels VG. Churchill Livingstone.
   
Junqueira LC, Carneiro J, Basic Histology, Long JA. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
 
Ham AW. Histology JB Lippincott Company, Philadelphia & Toronto.
 
Pappas GS. Laboratory Manual of Histology Wm C Brown, Dubuque,lA.
 
Bancroft, Gamble. Theory and Practice of Histological Technique, Churchill Livingstone