Amplified DNA technology: where does it fit in? Debra S. Tiffany Until recently, DNA probe technology has been available mostly in university or research facilities or large commercial reference laboratories. The costs associated with maintaining specimen integrity, such as providing clean rooms and special specimen handling protocols have made this technology very restricted and not […]
C. difficile toxins A and B test – Brief Article The Premier toxins A and B enzyme immunoassay for the detection of Clostridium difficile toxins A and B uses samples taken directly from stool specimens. Users may choose between 20- and 50- minute incubation, offering the option of handling large specimen volume with a turnaround […]
Alive and kickin’ Joe Buckley Lights and water with a good bit of property and tree damage here, but still alive and kickin’. Have a family member in Chalmette, LA, whose house is still under 12 feet of water. Drove to Hattiesburg, MS, yesterday; looks like a bomb went off there, but my son’s school […]
Gram’s stain: The key to microbiology – isolate identification method – Tutorial Rosemary McClelland Gram’s stain remains one of the most valuable methods we have for identifying isolates accurately and rapidly. Despite our long-standing familiarity with this method, it still warrants careful attention every step of the way–from preparation and QC of reagents to staining […]
Slide makers and stainers – Product Roundup – Brief Article Suzanne Noble R.N. Hematological slide stainers are items of laboratory equipment that have a tendency to be taken for granted. Unparalleled in performance and cost-effectiveness, they are in fact some of the laboratory’s most vital pieces of equipment. Affordable and requiring minimal maintenance and repair, […]
Trouble shooting data transfer problems Edward N. Siguel When data transmission comes out garbled, you can either kick the computer or troubleshoot the problem. The technique for the former approach needs no explanation. Troubleshooting is trickier but ultimately more satisfying. I will outline some key problem-solving methods here. A few ideas will be simplified in […]
A DRG survival plan for the laboratory budget James W. Sharp The relationship between revenues and costs in the hospital clinical laboratory used to be fairly stable. The pressures of prospective payment, however, are changing that relationship rapidly. For some laboratories, they threaten to usher in an era of declining or disappearing profits. Until we […]
Answering your questions about working for a micromanager, managing a difficult employee, avoiding conflict between shifts, being labeled as a ‘complainer,’ and starting consulting work Christopher S. Frings Working for a micromanager Q My manager is a micromanager, and we often feel that he does not trust us since he is always checking behind us. […]
Therapeutic plasmapheresis for autoimmune disease Dianne M. Cearlock Advances and outcomes Therapeutic plasmapheresis is a process by which components in plasma, believed to cause or exacerbate disease, are selectively removed. The remaining blood components are then combined with replacement plasma or an inert substitute and returned to the patient. Removed components may include antibodies, immune […]
Addressing management issues: crisis management and personal hygiene in the workplace – Management: Q&A Christopher S. Frings Crisis management Q How can we minimize crisis management in our laboratory? We always seem to be doing things on short notice, and everyone is stressed Out. A Crisis management is when a deadline has sneaked up behind […]