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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare culture media
   • Prepare mixture of media and solvent to ensure solution and even settling of heat soluble materials
   • Label media to allow tracking in subsequent processes
   • Use a vessel large enough to endure adequate mixing and heating of the media
   • Dispense media into vessels for sterilisation, leaving room for expansion during heating and cooling

Range Statement

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.
Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements	Standards, codes, procedures and/or workplace requirements include the latest version of one or more of: Australian and international standards covering the requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, laboratory safety, quality management and environmental management Australian standards covering the requirements for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising reusable medical and surgical instruments and equipment; and maintenance of associated environments in health care facilities national work health and safety (WHS) standards and codes of practice, national environmental protection measures, and national measurement regulations and guidelines specific codes, guidelines and procedures, such as National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accreditation requirements, principles of good laboratory practice (GLP), Australia New Zealand Food Standards (ANZFS) Code, Australian code of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products (GMP) and Australian Dangerous Goods Code workplace documents, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs); quality and equipment manuals; calibration and maintenance schedules; material safety data sheets (MSDS); safety procedures; material, client and product specifications; production and laboratory schedules; workplace recording and reporting procedures; and waste minimisation and safe disposal procedures workplace procedures and standard methods for preparing culture media, and operation and maintenance manuals for automated media preparation equipment
Cell and tissue culture media	Cell and tissue culture media include, but are not limited to, one or more of: agars, broths and solutions slopes basic balanced salt solutions, such as Hank's or Kreb-Ringer's deeps enriched media, such as blood sugar, chocolate agar, tetrathionate broth and selenite broth control media differential media, such as eosin-methylene blue agar and MacConkey's agar selective media, such as deoxycholate-citrate agar and Lowenstein-Jensen medium tissue culture media labile constituents, such as blood, hormones or antibodies
Sterilisation techniques	Sterilisation techniques include, but are not limited to, one or more of: boiling, high temperature, high pressure steam and autoclaving steam and membrane filtration microwave, radiation, gas and/or chemical treatments
Safety procedures	Safety procedures include, but are not limited to, one or more of: use of PPE, such as safety glasses, gloves and coveralls use of biohazard containers and laminar flow cabinets correctly labelling reagents and hazardous materials handling and storing hazardous material and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer instructions and workplace procedures and regulations closely following safe autoclave operating procedures to avoid accidents and prevent damage to culture media regular cleaning, sterilisation and/or disinfecting of equipment prompt clean-up of spills in accordance workplace procedures
WHS and environmental management requirements	WHS and environmental management requirements include: · complying with WHS and environmental management requirements at all times, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation. These requirements must not be compromised at any time · applying standard precautions relating to the potentially hazardous nature of samples accessing and applying current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health, where relevant

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Performance Evidence

Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:

using standard methods to safely prepare at least three (3) different batches of culture media that meet specifications and are free of contamination

using appropriate sterilisation techniques, including maintaining adequate space between containers to prevent cross-contamination

performing quality assurance checks on media, including streaking out of cultures to a single colony and lawn cultures

performing post-sterilisation procedures, including dispensing or adding using aseptic technique

recognising and reporting non-compliances, anomalies or out-of-specification results

labelling and storing culture media according to workplace procedures

accurately recording data and completing workplace documentation

following workplace procedures for the safe use of hazardous equipment and materials during the preparation of culture media

following workplace procedures for safe removal of disposable and reusable contaminated materials to relevant areas for disinfection, sterilisation and cleaning or disposal.

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Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:

basic microbiological concepts and terminology, including growth rates in culture, and production of gas and haemolysis of red cells in media

growth requirements of microorganisms and tissue, such as bacteria, fungi, protozoans, viruses and multi-cellular parasites, in terms of their laboratory culture

purpose, content and features of culture media prepared in job role, and the relationship between the correct preparation of culture media and the optimal growth of organisms or cells

nature, properties and use of a range of biological media

relationship between sterile practices, hygiene procedures and the ability to obtain growth free of contamination

the effect of physical requirements, such as pH and temperature on optimal growth of organisms and cells

the effect of inappropriate storage on culture media quality and performance

cleaning and sanitising requirements for equipment and work area

relevant hazards, such as microorganisms and agents; sharps and broken glassware; sources of heat, such as ovens, burners and autoclaves; fluids under pressure, such as steam; and radiation used for sterilisation

relevant work health safety (WHS) and environment requirements.

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