Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

Laboratory 1:  Introduction to Clinical Microbiology Laboratory:

Activities:

Lab Set-up

Complete the following inventory; make sure that you have these in your drawers and know where to find replacement items. 

Item Description Check Off
Cardboard Sharp keeper/Chinese food carton For disposal of loops and slides
Box of Plain Slides Urinalysis Slides
Box of Frosted Slides Be sure they are Microbiology slides
Diamond-Point Pen
Permanent Marking Pen
Wax Pencil
Sterile Dispo Pipettes
Sterile Dispo Loops
Pen and/or Pencil
Petri Dish with Filter Paper Filter paper should be in small pieces
Hand-Magnifying Lens
Dropper Bottle with Saline
Forceps
Lab Coat To be shared with Hematology
Gloves To be shared with Hematology
Immersion Oil To be shared with Hematology
Lens Cleaner To be shared with Hematology
Lens Paper To be shared with Hematology

Laboratory Maintenance

Maintaining a clean, safe, well-organized and well-supplied laboratory is crucial to laboratory operations and therefore is an important aspect of every CLT's job.  All students are expected to participate in routine lab maintenance, and will be evaluated on this aspect of lab performance through various categories of the Professional Behavior Evaluation.

Lab Hunting Expedition

  1. You will be divided into teams.

  2. You will receive a list of materials used during the various microbiology laboratories.

  3. When you have found every thing on the list, turn it into the instructor for your team prize.

Wet Preps

Materials required: set up at lab station before beginning laboratory.

  • Coverslips
  • Microscope
  • Dropper bottle of saline
  • Plain glass slides
  • Inoculating needles

Procedure:

  1. Obtain a culture plate containing:  Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans,  & E.coli.
  2. Label glass slides for each of your organisms. (You may do 2 on one slide.)
  3. Place a drop of saline on a glass slide
  4. Pick up a portion of a colony and suspend it in the drop of saline.
  5. Coverslip the drop of saline.
  6. View the cover-slipped slide under reduced light and record the morphology of the organisms.
  7. Record your results on the provide report sheet. Top.

 Gram Stain Tutor

The Gram Stain Tutor CD is available in the clinical microbiology lab for your review on how to read Gram Stains.  During this lab, we will start viewing this CD, but is up to you to review it on your own time either during lab or when the laboratory is open.  The steps for using this program is as follows:

  1. Make sure the CD is in the computer.

  2. Double click on the "My Computer" Icon and then on CD Icon.

  3. Once the CD Screen opens click on the icon.

  4. Double click on pc.

  5. Double click on Gram and then double click on Gram in the next screen as well.

  6. Click on continue to see the menu options within Gram Stain Tutor.

We will also use this tutor for some examples of Direct Gram Stains on your patient unknowns in future weeks. Top.

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Return to Lecture and Laboratories Schedule Week 1-4
 

Clinical Microbiology Syllabus