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Evidence Guide: MSL973003 - Prepare culture media

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

The important thing to remember when gathering evidence is that the more evidence the better - that is, the more evidence you gather to demonstrate your skills, the more confident an assessor can be that you have learned the skills not just at one point in time, but are continuing to apply and develop those skills (as opposed to just learning for the test!). Furthermore, one piece of evidence that you collect will not usualy demonstrate all the required criteria for a unit of competency, whereas multiple overlapping pieces of evidence will usually do the trick!

From the Wiki University

 

MSL973003 - Prepare culture media

What evidence can you provide to prove your understanding of each of the following citeria?

Prepare culture media

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

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Label media to allow tracking in subsequent processes

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use a vessel large enough to endure adequate mixing and heating of the media

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dispense media into vessels for sterilisation, leaving room for expansion during heating and cooling

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions to Assessors

Evidence Guide

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1

Prepare culture media

1.1

Prepare mixture of media and solvent to ensure solution and even settling of heat soluble materials

1.2

Label media to allow tracking in subsequent processes

1.3

Use a vessel large enough to endure adequate mixing and heating of the media

1.4

Dispense media into vessels for sterilisation, leaving room for expansion during heating and cooling

2

Sterilise media

2.1

Load the steriliser in keeping with maximum permitted loads and appropriate positioning of materials

2.2

Ensure a sterilisation indicator is correctly placed with the load to monitor sterilisation process

2.3

Operate sterilisation cycle in accordance with manufacturer requirements to achieve sterilisation at the required settings

2.4

Cool media to the temperature specified in the media formulation procedures

3

Pour, label and store media

3.1

Add labile constituents where necessary, under conditions that will not lead to their denaturation or contamination of media

3.2

Ensure even mixing of additives and media before dispensing

3.3

Aseptically dispense media to minimise occurrence of procedural contamination

3.4

Label media to allow for selection, avoiding areas of the culture vessel required for examination of colony growth

3.5

Store media to maximise shelf life and minimise contamination

3.6

Date batch media to ensure correct batch rotation

3.7

Incubate control plates as a sterility check

4

Perform quality control checks

4.1

Inspect media for any evidence of possible contamination or problems with structure or sterilisation

4.2

Check useability of selective media by growth of expected organism

4.3

Check stored stocks at regular intervals for conformance to required standards

5

Maintain work area and equipment to prevent cross-infection and contamination

5.1

Use personal protective equipment (PPE) and safe work practices to ensure personal safety and that of other laboratory personnel

5.2

Place disposable and reusable items into relevant receptacles

5.3

Clean and disinfect work area and equipment after use

5.4

Transport disposable and reusable contaminated materials to relevant areas for disinfection, sterilisation and cleaning or disposal

Required Skills and Knowledge

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1

Prepare culture media

1.1

Prepare mixture of media and solvent to ensure solution and even settling of heat soluble materials

1.2

Label media to allow tracking in subsequent processes

1.3

Use a vessel large enough to endure adequate mixing and heating of the media

1.4

Dispense media into vessels for sterilisation, leaving room for expansion during heating and cooling

2

Sterilise media

2.1

Load the steriliser in keeping with maximum permitted loads and appropriate positioning of materials

2.2

Ensure a sterilisation indicator is correctly placed with the load to monitor sterilisation process

2.3

Operate sterilisation cycle in accordance with manufacturer requirements to achieve sterilisation at the required settings

2.4

Cool media to the temperature specified in the media formulation procedures

3

Pour, label and store media

3.1

Add labile constituents where necessary, under conditions that will not lead to their denaturation or contamination of media

3.2

Ensure even mixing of additives and media before dispensing

3.3

Aseptically dispense media to minimise occurrence of procedural contamination

3.4

Label media to allow for selection, avoiding areas of the culture vessel required for examination of colony growth

3.5

Store media to maximise shelf life and minimise contamination

3.6

Date batch media to ensure correct batch rotation

3.7

Incubate control plates as a sterility check

4

Perform quality control checks

4.1

Inspect media for any evidence of possible contamination or problems with structure or sterilisation

4.2

Check useability of selective media by growth of expected organism

4.3

Check stored stocks at regular intervals for conformance to required standards

5

Maintain work area and equipment to prevent cross-infection and contamination

5.1

Use personal protective equipment (PPE) and safe work practices to ensure personal safety and that of other laboratory personnel

5.2

Place disposable and reusable items into relevant receptacles

5.3

Clean and disinfect work area and equipment after use

5.4

Transport disposable and reusable contaminated materials to relevant areas for disinfection, sterilisation and cleaning or disposal

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.

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.

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