LabPLUS NEWZ FLASH

LabPLUS NEWZ FLASH
Volume 1, Issue 2 www.labplus.co.nz March 2003
Welcome to LabPLUS Newz
FLASH
This Newz FLASH is designed as a quick update of test
changes at LabPLUS. All feedback would be gratefully
received. Send to Ross Hewett, LabPLUS, P.O.Box
110031, Auckland Hospital, or rossh@adhb.govt.nz
Microbiology
The following are the guidelines developed by
LabPLUS Micro department for the handling of
SARS samples. These are for our own internal
LabPLUS use, however feel free to modify or use
these in your Laboratory if appropriate.
Handling of Specimens from patient’s
suspected of having “Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome" (SARS)
Specimens will include:
1. Respiratory Secretions
- Sputum (do not add sputolysin)
- BW and BAL
- Tracheal Aspirates
- Other upper and lower respiratory tract
specimens such as throat swabs
2. Blood Cultures.
SPECIAL EDITION
3. Blood for routine Biochemistry and Haematology.
Handling of Specimens:
�� Only specimens of Respiratory Secretions are
considered highly contagious.
�� All staff handling these specimens will wear a mask
(N95 Mask), gloves and gown.
�� Upon receipt in the laboratory specimens should
remain in the biohazard bag and be placed in a
biological safety cabinet (BSC) Class II. They should
not be removed from the biohazard bag on the
bench.
Staff Handling Specimens:
�� Staff should wear masks (N95 masks), gloves and
gowns when handling specimens in the BSC Class
II.
�� The staff member who processed the specimen/s is
to fill out an incident form. This is to allow us to have
a record of staff exposure.
�� Any inadvertent exposure to the specimen, such as
a splash or spill, must be reported to the Technical
Head and Clinical Microbiologist.
Processing of Specimens:
All specimens should be processed for:
1. Routine bacterial pathogens, including Gram Stain.
(S. pneumoniae, H. Influenzae etc).
NB: Do not add sputolysin to sample.
Place plates into individual biohazard bags, then into
incubator.
2. Seal the sample in a biohazard bag, label as
hazardous and refer to Virology for Respiratory viral
pathogens (Influenza A and B, Respiratory syncytial
virus).
DO NOT DIVIDE THE SPECIMEN AS THIS WILL
POSE AN AEROSOL RISK
Handling of Primary Culture Plates:
�� This shall be done in the BSC Class II. A mask (N95
mask), gloves and gowns must be worn.
�� After appropriate incubation and examination of the
plates they should be placed in a biohazard bag,
labelled as hazardous and placed in the special
container labelled “SARS Culture Plates”. These
culture plates will be autoclaved prior to disposal.
�� Culture plates are not to be removed from the BSC
Class II under any circumstances unless they are
sealed in a biohazard bag.
LabPLUS NEWZ FLASH 1
LabPLUS, P.O.Box 110031, Auckland Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, Building 31, Auckland Hospital,
Tel 0800 522 7587, 0800 LabPLUS, 09 307 8995, Fax 09 307 4970 or 09 307 4939, www.labplus .co.nz

Staff are to contact the on-call Clinical
Microbiologist at any hour of the day or night if
they have any concerns about the handling and
processing of these specimens.
Dr Sally Roberts and Maree Gillies
18 March 2003
_____________________________________________________
Occupational Health – Drugs of Abuse.
LabPLUS has the facilities and expertise to provide
Chain of Custody drug tests. These are required for
pre-employment, visa applications, family court,
employment in high-risk areas such as forestry and a
variety of other circumstances. LabPLUS is able to
provide the collection kits, chain of custody forms and
instructions to collect a supervised urine sample.
Testing is done at LabPLUS with confirmation testing
with GC-MS if required for legal reasons. Expert
witness or court testimony is available as part of the
service. For more details contact Ross Hewett, Audrey
Cheng or visit our website. www.labplus.co.nz
Up Coming Events
Seminar
“New Tests and New Technology”
Date 22 nd May 2003
Rangitoto Room, Level 3
LabPLUS, Building 31, Auckland Hospital,
Gate 4, Grafton Road, Grafton, Auckland.
Start 9.30am Finish 4.00pm
$40.00 Registration. Contact: Don Mikkelsen
LabPLUS, P.O.Box 110031, Auckland Hospital
Donm@adhb.govt.nz
Program and Registration Attached.
LabPLUS User Group Meeting
Dates. August 14 th -15 th
Details to follow.
L A B P L U S C O N T A C T S
LABLINK TOLL FREE 0800 522 7587
TELEPHONE: 09 307 8995
FAX 09 307 4970
KEY CONTACTS
TELEPHONE 09 307 4949
DIAL THE EXTENSION BELOW
ADMINISTRATION
CLINICAL DIRECTOR: TONY BARKER, EXT 7549
LABORATORY MANAGER: DON MIKKELSEN, EXT 7576
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: ROSS HEWETT, EXT 5466
CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICER: AUDREY CHENG, EXT 5561
OPERATIONS CO-ORDINATOR: STUART DUNCAN, EXT 2019
QUALITY MANAGER: KRISTEN KELLY, EXT 5356.
INFORMATION SERVICES: COLIN SIMMONDS, EXT 7552
TERRY WILSON, EXT 7614, JOHN SMITH, EXT 7548.
ANATOMICAL PATHOLOGY AND CYTOLOGY
CLINICAL HEAD: DR IAN SMEETON, EXT 2061
TECHNICAL HEAD: DR JOE MCDERMOTT, EXT 6142
CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY
CLINICAL HEAD: DR JAMES DAVIDSON, EXT 7301
TECHNICAL HEAD: RUSSELL SARGON, EXT 6836
CYTOGENETICS
CLINICAL GENETICIST: DR INGRID WINSHIP, EXT 5531
TECHNICAL HEAD: HEATHER DOCKERY, EXT 6396
HAEMATOLOGY
CLINICAL HEAD: DR GEORGE CHAN, EXT 2015
TECHNICAL HEAD: MARGARET HAMMOND, EXT 7567
MICROBIOLOGY
CLINICAL HEAD: DR ARTHUR MORRIS, EXT 3935
OR DR. SALLY ROBERTS EXT 2044.
TECHNICAL HEAD: MAREE GILLIES, EXT 6086
MORTUARY
CLINICAL HEAD: DR SIMON STABLES, EXT 6013
TECHNICAL HEAD: JOHN RUSSELL, EXT 7379
NATIONAL TESTING CENTRE
DIRECTOR: DR DIANNE WEBSTER, EXT 6412
PEDIATRIAN: DR CALLUM WILSON, MOB. 021 555 392
VIROLOGY / IMMUNOLOGY
CLINICAL HEAD: DR KITTY CROXSON, EXT 6130
TECHNICAL HEAD: JOHN SCOTT, EXT 6109
PATIENT SERVICES
TECHNICAL HEAD: RAEWYN BLUCK, EXT 7555
PHLEBOTOMY: JILL TIETJENS, EXT 7542
SPECIMEN RECEPTION: LESLEY STEWART, EXT 2070
LabPLUS NEWZ FLASH 1
LabPLUS, P.O.Box 110031, Auckland Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, Building 31, Auckland Hospital,
Tel 0800 522 7587, 0800 LabPLUS, 09 307 8995, Fax 09 307 4970 or 09 307 4939, www.labplus .co.nz

New Tests/New Technology Seminar.
Date 22 nd of May 2003
Venue – Rangitoto Room, LabPlus, Building 31, Gate 4, Grafton Road, Auckland Hospital.
0930 – 1000 Morning Tea
1000 – 1030 Getting the Most from New Technology
Don Mikkelsen
1030 – 1100 Compliance Aspects of Changing Tests or Technology.
Speaker from IANZ
1100 – 1130 Statistical Tools for Evaluating Change
Russell Cooke
1130 – 1200 Implementation of a New Automated Immunoassay System
1200 – 1300 Lunch
1300 – 1320 Regional Laboratory Data and Paperless Laboratory reports
David Bunkall
1320 – 1340 Fluorescence in Situ Hybridisation (FISH) Application.
Paul Oei
1340 – 1400 Real Time PCR for EBV Infection
1400 – 1420 Molecular Haematology Presentation
Dr Neil Van de Water
1420 – 1440 Drug Investigations in Cases of Alleged “Date Rape”
Dr Ron Couch
1440 – 1500 Afternoon Tea
1500 – 1520 Front End Automation of Haematology
Ross Anderson
1520 – 1540 The Ethics of Gene Patents
Dr George Chan
1540 – 1600 What Happened to the Core Lab Concept?
Panel Lorna Gribble (Health Waikato) Raewyn Bluck (LabPlus) and others to be announced
Registration $40:
Contact: Don Mikkelsen, 0800 LABPLUS, donm@adhb.govt.nz
LabPLUS NEWZ FLASH 1
LabPLUS, P.O.Box 110031, Auckland Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, Building 31, Auckland Hospital,
Tel 0800 522 7587, 0800 LabPLUS, 09 307 8995, Fax 09 307 4970 or 09 307 4939, www.labplus .co.nz

REGISTRATION
New Tests/New Technology Seminar. Date Thursday 22 nd May 2003
Venue – Rangitoto Room, LabPlus, Building 31, Gate 4, Grafton Road, Auckland Hospital.
Registration Form.
First Name:_________________________________________________________
Surname:___________________________________________________________
Laboratory:__________________________________________________________
Laboratory Address:___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Contact Phone Number________________________________________________
Email address:_______________________________________________________
Registration Fees: $40.
Please make cheques payable to: Auckland District Health Board
Please return this form and payment to:
Don Mikkelsen,
Laboratory Manager,
LabPLUS,
P.O.Box 110031,
Auckland hospital,
Grafton, Auckland.
Registration to be forwarded by Friday 16 rd May 2003.
LabPLUS NEWZ FLASH 1
LabPLUS, P.O.Box 110031, Auckland Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, Building 31, Auckland Hospital,
Tel 0800 522 7587, 0800 LabPLUS, 09 307 8995, Fax 09 307 4970 or 09 307 4939, www.labplus .co.nz