Last week’s discussions in the forum saw a diverse range of topics. Members actively shared their experiences and challenges with chain-of-custody protocols during busy shifts, debated effective training for troubleshooting, and explored the nuances of lot-to-lot verification processes. There was also significant interest in dealing with equipment issues, such as spectrophotometer baseline drifts after lamp changes.
This Week’s Hot Topics
QC looks fine, patients shifted
A discussion on quality control results that appear normal despite unexpected patient data shifts. It’s a puzzling situation that many are trying to unravel. Read more
Chain-of-custody when the bench is slammed
When the lab is bustling, maintaining a rigorous chain-of-custody can be challenging. This thread sheds light on best practices. Read more
Lot-to-lot verification worksheet for chemistry
Sharing templates and tips for effective lot-to-lot verification in chemistry labs, a vital yet often overlooked process. Read more
Spectrophotometer baseline drift after lamp change
Members are discussing causes and solutions for baseline drifts in spectrophotometers—a common issue after lamp replacements. Read more
Delta checks for CBCs on nights
Night shifts pose unique challenges for delta checks in CBCs. Insights on how to manage these effectively are being exchanged. Read more
Which trainings actually improve troubleshooting
A practical conversation on trainings that genuinely enhance troubleshooting skills. Members are sharing what works and what doesn’t. Read more
Plate reader baseline drift after warm-up
Engage in discussions about dealing with baseline drifts in plate readers post warm-up, a subtle yet significant issue. Read more
Rigorous chain-of-custody training recommendations
Recommendations are pouring in for chain-of-custody training that withstands the rigors of everyday lab work. Read more
Pre-troponin MI markers you used
A retrospective look at MI markers used before troponin became the standard. Members are reminiscing and comparing notes. Read more
Looking forward to another week of insightful discussions. Stay engaged and have a productive week in the lab.
On lot-to-lot checks, I always include one ‘borderline’ patient sample alongside controls — it’s the fastest way I’ve caught clinically meaningful shifts between lots; if you don’t have a suitable sample, a split-pool from yesterday’s draws works in a pinch. Anyone else doing this?
For ‘chain-of-custody protocols during busy shifts’, we added a quick barcode handoff scan at the analyzer bay so the receiver scans the tube and their ID before racking it; it adds about 20 seconds but cut missing handoff signatures to almost zero. If the LIS is down, we fall back to pre-numbered seals and jot time/initials at the bench as a temporary bridge.
Piggybacking on @Guide, the spectrophotometer drift that kept nagging us got way better after we added a 90-second ‘sanity check’ at shift change: water blank at 340 and 405 nm, and if baseline is >0.005 A we clean the optical path and reseat the lamp before QC. It’s saved us from those -why-is-QC-creeping mornings, but on lot-to-lot go-lives we log the check separately so we don’t mask a real shift.
We started using a 24‑hour patient‑mean monitor after reagent changes; it once caught a 3% drift our controls missed, so we held the lot and recalibrated. Caveat: it needs steady throughput — on slow days we use a small set of stored patient aliquots — @jwilson23 your shift-change check is great; this pairs with it like a smoke alarm.
We’ve had good results with 10‑minute ‘failure drills’ on the training analyzer — simulate a clogged probe or wrong rack map and have a newer tech narrate the fix on video; it builds muscle memory, but fitting it around runs is the hard part — @cameron_lee92, do you do drills like this?