7 Rules All Lab Technicians Must Follow

 Every test has its own set of rules. In the case of a laboratory, these rules are even more important since they help maintain accuracy and precision in testing. Any deviation from the standard operating procedures can lead to incorrect test results or even a false positive or negative. This is why there are specific rules that must be followed at all times when working as a lab technician. These rules aren’t just for safety; following them also helps technicians complete their work faster and more accurately. Some of them may seem obvious, but you’ll be thankful for them if you forget one day! Keeping these 10 lab technician rules in mind will help you focus on your work and avoid mistakes as much as possible. So let’s check them out now!

1. Double-check your equipment

The first thing you should do before testing any sample is to check your equipment. This means confirming that everything is clean and in working order. You’ll want to make sure you have the right equipment for the sample type, like test tubes and pipettes if you’re working with liquids. You’ll also need to make sure that your incubators and freezers are set at the right temperature. If you notice anything out of place, like a broken thermometer or a malfunctioning piece of equipment, report it to your manager. You don’t want to risk faulty test results because of a broken piece of lab equipment.

2. Always use calibrated equipment

Another important rule to follow is to always use calibrated equipment. This means making sure that all of your equipment is actually calibrated. This can be done by a technician or quality assurance (QA) representative, who uses a device called a calibration checker. This will verify that the equipment is calibrated correctly and ready for use. If your equipment isn’t calibrated, you won’t be able to produce accurate results, so it’s important to make sure it is.

3. Sample handling and preparation is crucial

When preparing a sample for a test, you must follow strict procedures. This is because you want your results to be as accurate as possible. This means you’ll want to avoid making any mistakes that could lead to inaccurate results. A few rules that will help you do this include setting up the sample exactly as instructed. You’ll also want to avoid contaminating your samples or coming into contact with them. Make sure to wear gloves and a clean lab coat at all times, especially when setting up sample tubes. This will help you avoid cross-contamination. Any sample that is being tested is part of a process called laboratory analysis. This process requires technicians to follow specific instructions exactly to produce accurate results. Otherwise, the results could be wrong, which isn’t helpful for anyone.

4. Record everything that happens in the lab

Being a lab technician isn’t just about knowing how to work the equipment. You also need to be able to accurately record what happens during each testing cycle. This is so that you can keep track of everything that’s happening in your lab and also prevent mistakes from happening again. You don’t need to record every single thing that happens in the lab, but you should keep track of important things like when samples were set up and what they were. You should also record any mistakes that happen during testing and how they were corrected. This will help you quickly and easily identify any problems that occur in the lab. You can also use your records to help improve your work.

5. Maintain a sterile environment

When working in a lab, you want to be sure you’re keeping everything sterile. This means you need to avoid anything that could contaminate samples or the environment. This includes wearing clean clothing, storing samples properly, and keeping the lab clean and tidy. Samples that are contaminated can yield false results and get results from a different sample type. This can be extremely problematic. To maintain a sterile environment, you’ll want to follow a few rules, including keeping samples away from your face, keeping your hands clean, and avoiding eating and drinking in the lab. You’ll also want to make sure you’re cleaning and sanitizing the lab regularly to remove any dust or other particles that could contaminate samples.

6. Don’t shake samples before testing

One thing you’ll want to avoid doing when testing samples is shaking them. There are some exceptions to this rule, like when mixing samples together. But in most cases, you should avoid shaking samples. When you shake a sample, you are introducing air bubbles into the solution. When you test the sample, these bubbles will affect the readings, causing them to be incorrect.

7. Don’t test stinky samples

Yes, that smells can affect the samples you’re testing. In fact, it’s best to avoid testing smelly samples all together because they could affect the accuracy of your tests. What happens is that scents can get trapped in the testing equipment. When the next sample is tested, it will be contaminated with the scent of the previous sample. This can lead to false results in your testing. To avoid this, you’ll want to either avoid testing scented samples or thoroughly cleaning your equipment between tests.

Conclusion

Following all of these rules will help you perform your job as a lab technician more accurately and efficiently. This will help you avoid mistakes and produce more accurate results. Being a lab technician can be a challenging job, but following these rules will help you succeed.