Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge to perform tests and procedures associated with processing and staining tissues for examination of tissue structure and abnormalities by pathologists and scientists to assist with disease diagnosis. The unit covers tests and procedures that are associated with anatomical pathology and may involve the use of automated processors and staining machines.
This unit applies to laboratory technicians and technical officers in the biomedical sector. The unit principally refers to techniques performed on human tissues, but many aspects may be relevant to animal and plant tissues. This unit of competency assumes that the technical officer would perform tests and procedures under the close supervision of scientific and/or medical staff. Although a supervisor may not always be present, the technician will follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) that will clearly describe the scope of permitted practice in modifying testing procedures, quality control procedures, interpretation of data, and for communicating test results to people outside the laboratory. Technical workers may need to interrupt their routine work in order to assist with or perform procedures to facilitate rapid diagnosis of specimens from patients in the operating theatre. The involvement of the technical officer in mortuary work will be determined by the workplace. Work of this nature will always be closely supervised by scientific/medical staff.
No licensing or certification requirements exist at the time of publication. However, regulations and/or external accreditation requirements for laboratory operations exist, so local requirements should be checked. Relevant legislation, industry standards and codes of practice within Australia must also be applied.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Process specimens and associated request forms | 1.1 | Identify specimens and request forms that do not comply with minimum industry requirements for labelling, identification and test requests |
1.2 | Record any discrepancies and indicate what action is required | ||
1.3 | Log acceptable specimens into a laboratory information management system (LIMS) accurately and efficiently, applying required document tracking mechanisms | ||
2 | Process tissue | 2.1 | Select processor program for routine and non-routine samples |
2.2 | Perform equipment pre-use checks on the tissue processor to ensure sample integrity is maintained | ||
3 | Embed tissue | 3.1 | Perform equipment pre-use check on embedding centre to ensure samples integrity and uninterrupted embedding of processor load |
3.2 | Embed tissue types in correct orientation and characteristics that minimise tissue loss and artefacts during microtomy | ||
3.3 | Check tissue for complete processing prior to embedding | ||
3.4 | Apply procedures to prevent cross-contamination between tissues | ||
3.5 | Inspect blocks, reject and re-embed items that do not meet quality control standards | ||
4 | Cut tissue sections | 4.1 | Check the flotation bath is ready and satisfactory for use |
4.2 | Prepare and adjust all external parts of a microtome and associated equipment to accommodate requirements of tissue batch | ||
4.3 | Secure block in microtome following specified safety directions | ||
4.4 | Orientate the block correctly for each specific tissue in order to maintain sample integrity and minimise artefacts | ||
4.5 | Cut thin tissue sections according to needs of subsequent procedures, maintaining sample integrity, minimising artefacts and conserving tissue for further testing | ||
4.6 | Float sections onto water bath to flatten tissues | ||
4.7 | Pick up sections onto microscope slides ensuring patient identification on slides matches that on the block | ||
4.8 | Compare the blocks and sections ensuring the tissue on slides matches that in the blocks | ||
4.9 | Apply procedures to prevent cross-contamination between patient tissues | ||
4.10 | Identify, troubleshoot and resolve common section quality control issues | ||
4.11 | Inspect sections and reject any that do not meet quality control standards | ||
5 | Stain tissue sections | 5.1 | Prepare labile reagents for immediate use |
5.2 | Select reagents for specified technique, ensuring reagent sequence matches standard procedure | ||
5.3 | Stain sections according to method using the required quality control section and accommodating any authorised variations | ||
5.4 | Mount slides using medium compatible with staining technique ensuring no bubbles | ||
5.5 | Examine control sections microscopically to ensure expected staining outcomes are achieved and procedural artefacts are detected | ||
5.6 | Collate and cross-check slides, blocks and test request forms to ensure requirements have been met | ||
5.7 | Attach permanent label with case, specimen and stain details as required by workplace | ||
5.8 | Confirm microscopically that the type/disease is appropriate and still present in the control sections for each stain | ||
5.9 | Approve slides and release to pathologist | ||
6 | Maintain laboratory records | 6.1 | Complete control stain quality assessment forms to report quality control outcomes |
6.2 | File and store samples to facilitate efficient retrieval as required | ||
6.3 | Maintain instrument logs as required by accreditation checks | ||
Foundation Skills
This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.
Oral communication skills to interact effectively with supervisors and managers (laboratory, quality and customer service), personnel in other laboratories in the workplace or in other workplaces to which work may be referred, customers, patients and clients, external auditors and accreditation agencies, such as National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA)
Problem solving skills to troubleshoot issues and suggest solutions
Planning and organising skills to work efficiently and manage time effectively.
Other foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.
Competency Field
Testing