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Scenario 1

You are working in a multipractice clinic that has an in-house laboratory, including a
microbiology lab. Part of your duties in the laboratory includes checking and recording
temperatures for all refrigerators, freezers, and incubators used in the facility. You are
checking the microbiology incubators and discover that one of them is registering a
temperature of 10° Celsius.
1. Should you report this to anyone and, if so, who?
2. What is a possible result of this temperature decrease?
Scenario 2
You are working in the laboratory in the late afternoon and perform a pregnancy test on a
patient of Janna Aron, the nurse practitioner at your clinic. The patient’s test comes back
negative, but the patient is adamant that she has already missed two menstrual periods
and knows that she is pregnant.
1. What should you do next, and what might be the problem.
2. What other options does the patient have?

1 answer

Scenario 1

  1. Should you report this to anyone and, if so, who? Yes, you should report this temperature anomaly immediately. The first person to report this to would be the supervisor or manager of the laboratory or the head of the microbiology department. It's critical to inform them as it could affect the viability of samples contained within the incubator, which is crucial for microbial culture and testing.

  2. What is a possible result of this temperature decrease? A temperature decrease to 10° Celsius in a microbiology incubator could lead to suboptimal growth conditions for the microorganisms being cultured. This could result in:

    • Delayed or failed growth of cultures, affecting test results.
    • Potential loss of samples or invalid test outcomes, which could impact patient diagnosis and treatment.
    • The possibility of compromising the validity of any experiments or tests being conducted at that temperature.

Scenario 2

  1. What should you do next, and what might be the problem? Next, you should consult with Janna Aron, the nurse practitioner, to discuss the negative pregnancy test result, especially considering the patient’s insistence that she is pregnant. It's essential to verify the test used, ensuring it was performed correctly and is functioning properly. A possible problem could be:

    • The timing of the test may be too early for accurate detection of the hormone hCG, which is what pregnancy tests measure.
    • The test may have a low sensitivity, or there may be an issue with the patient’s hormone levels or urine dilution affecting the test result.

  2. What other options does the patient have? The patient has several options, including:

    • Repeat the pregnancy test after a few days or a week, allowing more time for the hormone levels to develop to detectable levels.
    • Have a quantitative blood test (beta hCG) done at a laboratory, which is more sensitive and can confirm pregnancy even at very early stages.
    • Consult a healthcare professional for further evaluation, which might include a pelvic exam or ultrasound if there are concerns about potential pregnancy or other health issues causing missed periods.