CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

GLOSSARY 453
Microliter Metric measure of volume equaling
0.001 mL (1 μL)
Microorganisms Normally one-celled organisms that
are microscopic
Micropipettes Pipettes that dispense between 1 μL
and 1000 μL (1 mL)
Microscopic Can only be seen though a microscope;
extremely small
Mode Most frequently occurring value in a set of
data points
Mohr pipette Graduated pipette designed for
measuring point to point, so the calibration lines
do not extend to the end of the pipette
Molality (m) Weight measure of moles of solute per
kilogram of solvent, expressed as mol/kg
Molarity (M) Volume measure of moles of solute per
liter of solvent, expressed as mol/L
Molar solution Uses molarity to measure solutes
in solution; common form of commercially
prepared chemistry reagents for performing clinical
chemistry tests
Molecular biology Study and development of cellular
physiology; future medical laboratory work may
chiefly be done in this realm
Monocyte Largest of the five basic white blood cells;
functions in the tissues as a macrophage (eats
foreign antigens) when it reaches maturity
Morality System of conduct based on principles or
ideals of virtuous human behavior; principles
of proper professional conduct concerning the
rights and duties of health care professionals, their
patients, and their colleagues
Multistix Strip of chemically treated pads that will
react colorimetrically when exposed to certain
components
Nanotechnology Study and engineering of very
small chemical or biological objects that are
approximately the size of atoms or small molecules
National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory
Personnel (NCA) Formerly a certification
organization, now merged with ASCP
National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) Federal agency responsible for developing
and promoting accurate measurements and
standards in many disciplines
Necrotic Dead tissue or cells
Needle gauge Outer diameter of a hypodermic
needle; the larger the gauge number, the smaller
the needle
Neutrophil Type of granular white blood cell that
primarily attacks bacteria
Nitrites Presence in urine indicates infection by
certain bacteria
Normal frequency distribution Bell-shaped curve
showing the probability distributions of random
variables; also called Gaussian or normal
distribution
Normality (N) Gram equivalent molecular weight of
a solute per liter of solvent
Nosocomial Acquired or occurring in a hospital
Nurse’s Creed Standard pledge for graduating nurses;
dated to 1893 and adapted from the physician’s
Oath of Hippocrates; also known as the Nightingale
Pledge in honor of Florence Nightingale
Oath of Hippocrates Oath for graduating physicians;
named in honor of the Greek physician who
was called the Father of Medicine since he first
recorded medical experiences for others to review
Other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) All
body fluids other than blood that are potentially
infectious
Order of draw Established sequence of tubes used
for blood collection to avoid contamination by
preventing carryover of additives from one tube to
another
Ova and parasites Also called O&P or OCP (ova,
cysts, and parasites); most often found in fecal
specimens; the ova, cysts, or eggs of intestinal
parasites are easily identified by their morphology
Oxyhemoglobin Hemoglobin pigment combined
with oxygen atoms
Pap smear Papanicolaou test that screens for changes
in cervical cells that might indicate infection,
abnormality, or cancer
Parameters Acceptable ranges for controls for valid
clinical data
Pasteur pipette Semiquantitative pipette, commonly
called a dropper, used for transferring small
amounts of liquids
Pathologist Physician who interprets and diagnoses
the changes caused by disease in tissues and body
fluids
Patient’s Bill of Rights Formal statement by a medical
facility guaranteeing that treatment will meet
certain established standards
Percentage Part of a whole expressed in hundredths
Percent solution Amount of solute expressed as parts
(by mass or weight) per 100 parts of solution
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