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3. General laboratory procedures 101
Minor burns
● Plunge the affected part into cold water or a mixture of ice and water to soothe
the pain.
● Apply mercurochrome or tincture of iodine to the burn.
● Apply a dry gauze dressing loosely.
● If the burn becomes infected or does not heal, refer the patient to a physician.
Note: Never tear off blisters that form over burns!
Injuries caused by broken glass
Clean glass
● Disinfect the skin in the normal way (using, for example, mercurochrome or
tincture of iodine).
● If the cut is minor, cover it with a sterile adhesive dressing (ready-made type).
● If the cut bleeds profusely, stop the bleeding by pressing down on it with a sterile
compress. Refer the patient to the casualty department.
● If the cut bleeds heavily with the blood spurting out at intervals, try to stop the
bleeding by pressing down on it with a sterile compress and send for a physician
or qualified nurse.
●
Continue to press on the covered wound while waiting for the physician or nurse.
(He or she will decide whether a tourniquet should be applied.)
Glass containing infected material
Glassware containing stools, pus, bacterial cultures, etc.:
● Check whether the cut is bleeding; if not, squeeze hard to make it bleed for
several minutes.
● Bathe the whole area (the edges of the cut and inside the cut) with tincture of
iodine or a surgical antiseptic (see Table 3.1, page 84).
● Wash the whole area thoroughly with soapy water.
● Bathe the area again with tincture of iodine.
● Refer the victim to the physician if the material involved is known to be infective
(e.g. bacterial cultures, pus).
Electric shocks
Alternating electric current (120V or 220V) is usually used in the laboratory. Electric
shocks may occur when faulty equipment is being handled, particularly with
wet hands. The symptoms are fainting, asphyxia and cardiac arrest.
● Before doing anything else, cut off the electricity at the main fuse.
●
●
Send for a physician.
In case of a cardiac arrest, massage the heart externally if necessary and begin
giving artificial respiration.
3.9 Quality assurance in the laboratory
Quality assurance in the laboratory includes all aspects of the analytical work, from
correct identification and preparation of the patient to ensuring that the laboratory
result goes back to the doctor.
The prime objective of quality assurance is to ensure that the laboratory provides
results that are correct and relevant to the clinical situation of the patient.