Elements and Performance Criteria
- Receive samples and process associated request forms
- Record any discrepancies and indicate what action is required
- Log samples, recording details that allow accurate tracking and chain of custody
- Prepare for safe microbiological work and aseptic applications
- Apply principles of aseptic techniques to ensure personal and environmental safety
- Minimise the production and release of aerosols, using biological safety cabinets where necessary
- Safely dispose of biohazardous materials and other laboratory wastes in accordance with workplace procedures
- Process samples for direct examination
- Prepare liquid films of specimens for direct observation for motility or cell structure
- Prepare samples to concentrate material for subsequent staining or microscopy
- Prepare pure cultures for microbiological work and aseptic applications
- Inoculate media aseptically, applying techniques suitable for purpose of culture
- Incubate inoculated media in conditions to optimise growth of organisms and cells
- Perform procedures that can assist in the identification of microorganisms
- Stain prepared films to demonstrate diagnostically useful characteristics
- Inoculate and incubate media with pure cultures to assist in the biochemical and immunological identification of microorganisms
- Microscopic differentiation between, red blood cells, white blood cells, micro-organisms and epithelial cells
- Select and perform tests on pure cultures to determine the biochemical and immunological identification of microorganisms
- Perform antibiotic sensitivity testing
- Estimate the number and/or size of micro-organisms in samples
- Prepare serial dilutions of samples aseptically for culture and colony counting
- Indicate the appropriate dilution necessary to reliably count organisms in a serially diluted sample
- Count colonies for calculating number of viable organisms per unit volume
- Maintain records of laboratory work
- Ensure traceability of sample from receipt to reporting of results