Maricopa Community Colleges  HCE150   20036-20045 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 02/27/03
HCE150 20036-20045 LEC 1 Credit(s) 1 Period(s)
Overview of Laboratory Assisting
Overview of laboratory services, laboratory professionals, and the role of a laboratory assistant. Understanding of certification, accreditation, and regulatory agencies. Emphasis on process improvement, laboratory mathematics, documentation, medico-legal implications, and specimen integrity. Application of pre-analytical and basic testing principles, infection control, and laboratory safety. Recognition of acceptable quality control and quality management principles. Includes information systems and information management in laboratories. Importance of professional growth and ethical conduct. Prerequisites: (HCC130 and HCC145AA and HCE109 and HCE110 and HCE111), or permission of program director.
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
HCE150   20036-20045 Overview of Laboratory Assisting
1. List and describe the role of laboratory services within healthcare. (I)
2. Identify laboratory professionals and explain their roles. (II)
3. Identify and describe the duties and expectations of a laboratory assistant. (III)
4. Differentiate laboratory regulations, accrediting, and certification agencies. (IV)
5. Define process improvement and quality control and explain the importance of both. (V)
6. Perform basic laboratory mathematics. (VI)
7. Examine laboratory documentation and explain medico-legal implications. (VII)
8. Describe information management and information management systems in laboratory settings. (VIII)
9. Describe infection control and laboratory safety guidelines. (IX)
10. Correlate specimen integrity and specimen processing principles to specimen acceptance. (X)
11. Describe pre-analytical practices to ensure quality and accuracy of testing. (X)
12. Practice professional and ethical conduct, stress management, and interpersonal communication skills. (XI)
13. Identify and describe the benefits of continuing education and proficiency testing as a function of growth and maintenance of professional competence. (XII)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
HCE150   20036-20045 Overview of Laboratory Assisting
    I. Role of Laboratory Services
        A. Laboratory departments
        B. Scope of testing
        C. Impact on patient care decisions
      II. Laboratory Professionals
          A. Roles
            1. Pathologists
            2. Technologists
            3. Technicians
            4. Phlebotomists
          B. Education/Training
        III. Laboratory Assistant
            A. Duties
            B. Scope of practice
          IV. Regulatory Agencies
              A. Laboratory
                1. CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments)
                2. State of Arizona
              B. Accreditation
                1. JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)
                2. CAP (College of American Pathologists)
                3. Medicare
              C. Certification
                1. ASCP (American Society for Clinical Pathology)
                2. NCA (National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel)
                3. ISCLT (International Society for Clinical Laboratory Technology)
                4. Various state certification agencies
            V. Process Improvement and Quality Control
                A. Process improvement
                  1. Quality Assurance (QA) principles
                  2. Total Quality Management (TQM) principles
                B. Quality Control (QC) principles
              VI. Laboratory Mathematics
                  A. Calculations
                    1. Precision
                    2. Accuracy
                  B. Standard deviation
                  C. Correlation
                VII. Documentation
                    A. Protocols
                    B. Medico-legal implications
                    C. Correcting entries
                  VIII. Information Management
                      A. Reporting and storage of data
                      B. Computer systems
                    IX. Infection Control and Laboratory Safety
                        A. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) guidelines
                        B. Infection control practices
                        C. Safety policies
                      X. Pre-analytical Practices
                          A. Specimen processing protocols
                            1. Specimen acceptance criteria
                            2. Specimen testing
                              a. Internal testing
                              b. External testing
                          B. Specimen integrity
                        XI. Personal Behavior
                            A. Professional conduct
                            B. Ethical conduct
                            C. Stress management
                            D. Interpersonal communication skills
                          XII. Professional Competence
                              A. Continuing education
                              B. Proficiency testing
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