Deck 3: Quality Assessment and Quality Control in the Clinical Laboratory

Question 1

Quality control can be monitored by using:

A) Levey-Jennings charts.
B) Westgard rules.
C) bar graph information.
D) both a and b.

Answer 1

both a and b.

Question 2

Match the term with the correct description.
trend or drift

A)a gradual change in the control sample results
B)a sudden and sustained change in one direction in control sample values
C)when random error or lack of precision increases

Answer 2

a gradual change in the control sample results

Question 3

ISO 15189 is based on:

A) ISO/IEC 17025.
B) ISO 9001.
C) CAP 15189.
D) both a and b.

Answer 3

both a and b.

Question 4

MATCHING
Match the type of error with the appropriate example.
failing to properly identify a patient prior to venipuncture

A)active error
B)latent error

Question 5

Match the term with the correct description.
dispersion

A)a gradual change in the control sample results
B)a sudden and sustained change in one direction in control sample values
C)when random error or lack of precision increases

Question 6

A control specimen should be:

A) carried through the entire test procedure.
B) treated exactly in the same way as any patient's specimen.
C) assayed at least once a week.
D) both a and b.

Question 7

MATCHING
Match the type of error with the appropriate example.
chronic shortage of qualified laboratory staff

A)active error
B)latent error

Question 8

Match the term with the correct description.
shift

A)a gradual change in the control sample results
B)a sudden and sustained change in one direction in control sample values
C)when random error or lack of precision increases

Question 9

An example of a preanalytical error is:

A) specimen obtained from a wrong patient.
B) lack of frequent preventive maintenance.
C) reporting of laboratory results by phone.
D) poorly trained phlebotomists.

Question 10

Accuracy describes:

A) how close a test result is to the true value.
B) comparison of an instrument measure or reading to a known physical constant.
C) how close the test results are to one another when repeated analyses of the same material are performed.
D) the purity of a substance.

Question 11

ISO 15189 monitors requirements such as:

A) personnel.
B) documents.
C) laboratory equipment.
D) all of the above.

Question 12

Required regulation of clinical laboratories is achieved by the:

A) Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988.
B) The Joint Commission (TJC).
C) College of American Pathologists (CAP).
D) American Hospital Association (AHA).

Question 13

If a violation of Westgard rules occurs,the correct action is:

A) accept the results if only a warning is violated.
B) reject the results when a mandatory rule is violated.
C) increase the retesting range if either a warning or a mandatory rule is violated.
D) all of the above.

Question 14

Nonanalytical factors in quality assessment include:

A) qualified personnel.
B) established laboratory policies.
C) quality control charts.
D) both a and b.

Question 15

Sources of variance or error include:

A) age of a specimen.
B) procedural factors.
C) physical activity level of a patient.
D) all of the above.

Question 16

One way to determine a control range for a particular analysis is to:

A) assay an aliquot of the control serum with the regular batch of assays for 15 to 25 days.
B) treat a control sample exactly like an unknown specimen.
C) estimate the most reasonable value.
D) do both a and b.

Question 17

Sensitivity is defined as the:

A) proportion of cases with a specific disease or condition that give a positive test result.
B) proportion of cases with absence of the specific disease or condition that gives a negative test result.
C) proportion of a population that has the disease.
D) number of patients with a normal test result who do not have the disease.

Question 18

Lean principles of management focus on:

A) reduction of unnecessary activities.
B) describe personnel qualifications.
C) measure reduction in variability.
D) stress flow of ideas from top to bottom.

Question 19

For testing of moderate complexity,quality control requires:

A) using fresh reagent daily.
B) performing control procedures monthly.
C) performing control procedures using at least two levels of control material each day of testing.
D) both a and c.

Question 20

Quality assessment programs include:

A) patient identification.
B) specimen procurement.
C) specimen transportation and processing procedures.
D) all of the above.