Question 1

Commercial media must have quality control testing performed by the manufacturer. Because of high failure rates, all of the following media must be retested by the hospital laboratory, except

Accepted Answer

Trypticase soy agar with 5% sheep blood is a standard and commonly used culture medium. It does not have a high failure rate and does not require retesting by the hospital laboratory. However, Campylobacter media and selective media for pathogenic Neisseria have been known to have high failure rates and require retesting by the hospital laboratory. Chocolate agar, although not specifically mentioned, is a specialized medium used for the cultivation of fastidious organisms and would also require quality control testing.

Question 2

All of the following activities are included in a laboratory quality control program, except

Accepted Answer

Air quality is typically part of a laboratory safety or environmental monitoring program, not specifically a quality control program.

Question 3

All the following are components of TJC recommendations for establishing performance monitors, except

Accepted Answer

The components of TJC recommendations for establishing performance monitors are plan, design, and assess. "Do" is not listed as a component.

Question 4

How can personnel competency be determined?

Accepted Answer

Proficiency testing involves the evaluation of an individual's actual performance in a specific task, which can determine their level of competency in a particular skill. This method is more objective and accurate than simply relying on credentials or subjective self-assessments. Asking another employee for their opinion or asking the employee to explain a test may also provide some insight into their competency, but these methods may be subject to bias or subjective interpretations.

Question 5

Preventive maintenance on an instrument includes all the following, except

Accepted Answer

Disinfecting the surface of an instrument is more related to routine cleaning or sterilization procedures rather than preventive maintenance, which typically involves tasks like oiling, cleaning, replacing parts, and recalibration to ensure the instrument operates effectively over time.

Question 6

The following are provisions of CLIA 88, except:

Accepted Answer

CLIA 88 requires verification of employee competency upon employment and determination of competency. However, re-verification of competency is not required monthly; it is required annually or as needed.

Question 7

Quality control stock cultures are available from all of the following, except

Accepted Answer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not provide quality control stock cultures. The CDC is primarily involved in public health and disease prevention, not in distributing stock cultures for quality control purposes. The American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), commercial sources, and proficiency testing isolates are commonly used for obtaining quality control stock cultures in laboratory settings.

Question 8

Media that do not need to be retested by the hospital laboratory must still undergo observation for all of the following, except

Accepted Answer

Organism colony characteristics do not need to be observed for media that do not need to be retested by the hospital laboratory. However, observation is necessary for moisture, sterility, and breakage.

Question 9

All of the following activities will directly affect the quality of a laboratory test, except

Accepted Answer

Accreditation does not directly affect the quality of a laboratory test, but instead verifies that quality measures are in place and being followed. Preanalytic, analytic, and postanalytic activities all directly impact the quality of a laboratory test.

Question 10

Quality control is designed to

Accepted Answer

Quality control is primarily designed to ensure the medical reliability of laboratory data. While checking media, reagents, and monitoring incubator and refrigerator temperatures are important aspects of quality control in a laboratory, the ultimate goal is to verify the accuracy and precision of laboratory results to prevent patient harm.

Question 11

Actual laboratory testing is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

Actual laboratory testing is a part of the analytic activity, where the actual testing and analysis of the sample takes place. Preanalytic activity involves preparing the sample for testing, while postanalytic activity involves interpreting and reporting the results. Research activity is not a routine laboratory function, but rather a separate activity aimed at exploring and improving laboratory techniques and technologies.

Question 12

The morning technician arrives at the microbiology laboratory and goes around checking daily temperatures. This person will check temperatures daily on all of the following equipment, except

Accepted Answer

Centrifuges do not require temperature checks, as they are not dependent on temperature control for their function.

Question 13

Thermometers used in the laboratory must be calibrated before they are put into use. This is accomplished by

Accepted Answer

Checking the thermometer against an NIST thermometer provides a reliable and accurate method to calibrate the thermometer in the laboratory. Sending to NIST or measuring grades are not practical options for routine laboratory calibration. Using a colored dye is not a valid method for calibration.

Question 14

When a medium needs to be quality controlled because it was prepared in house or because it is complex, all the following rules must be followed, except:

Accepted Answer

The correct approach for quality control of media involves testing all media, regardless of whether they are specified in Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines or not. The other options (B, C, D) are indeed practices that should be followed for quality control.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of a mission statement for an institution?

Accepted Answer

A mission statement is a concise statement of the values and purpose of an organization. Option B, "Working Together for a Healthy America," clearly states the purpose and focus of the organization. Option A is a slogan, not a mission statement. Option C is a marketing statement, not a mission statement. Option D is a performance metric, not a mission statement.

Question 16

In January 2004, The Joint Commission (TJC) implemented performance measurements for organizational systems that are critical to patient safety, quality of care, treatment, and services. This new initiative is called

Accepted Answer

The initiative implemented by The Joint Commission in January 2004 is called "shared visions new pathway," which focuses on performance measurements for organizational systems critical to patient safety and quality of care.

Question 17

Reagents that should undergo quality control in the microbiology laboratory include all the following, except

Accepted Answer

Immersion oil is not a reagent that undergoes quality control in the microbiology laboratory; it is used to improve microscopy resolution and does not directly interact with specimens or influence test outcomes like the other listed reagents.

Question 18

In any susceptibility system, variables that can affect the results include the following: 1. Antibiotic potency
2) Inoculum concentration
3) Bactericidal level
4) pH
5) Anion content

Accepted Answer

The answer of In any susceptibility system, variables that can...

Question 19

Susceptibility testing of control organisms is usually conducted daily until precision can be demonstrated with _____ or _____ _____ days of susceptibility testing using CLSI guidelines.

Accepted Answer

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines recommend that susceptibility testing of control organisms be conducted daily until precision can be demonstrated with 20 or 30 consecutive days of testing.

Question 20

Popular media choices for maintaining stock cultures include

Accepted Answer

Tryptic soy agar deeps are a common and reliable media choice for maintaining stock cultures, as they provide a nutrient-rich environment that supports the growth of a wide range of microorganisms. Cornmeal is not typically used for maintaining stock cultures, as it is more commonly used for differentiating and identifying fungal species. Sabouraud dextrose and cystine tryptic agar with glucose are both specific media designed for the isolation and cultivation of fungi, and are not typically used for maintaining stock cultures of a wide range of microorganisms.

Quiz 5: Performance Improvement in the Microbiology Laboratory