WikiDoc Resources for Medical laboratory assistant Articles Most recent articles on Medical laboratory assistant Most cited articles on Medical laboratory assistant Review articles on Medical laboratory assistant Articles on Medical laboratory assistant in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ Media Powerpoint slides on Medical laboratory assistant Images of Medical laboratory assistant Photos of Medical laboratory assistant Podcasts & MP3s on Medical laboratory assistant Videos on Medical laboratory assistant Evidence Based Medicine Cochrane Collaboration on Medical laboratory assistant Bandolier on Medical laboratory assistant TRIP on Medical laboratory assistant Clinical Trials Ongoing Trials on Medical laboratory assistant at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Medical laboratory assistant Clinical Trials on Medical laboratory assistant at Google Guidelines / Policies / Govt US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Medical laboratory assistant NICE Guidance on Medical laboratory assistant NHS PRODIGY Guidance FDA on Medical laboratory assistant CDC on Medical laboratory assistant Books Books on Medical laboratory assistant News Medical laboratory assistant in the news Be alerted to news on Medical laboratory assistant News trends on Medical laboratory assistant Commentary Blogs on Medical laboratory assistant Definitions Definitions of Medical laboratory assistant Patient Resources / Community Patient resources on Medical laboratory assistant Discussion groups on Medical laboratory assistant Patient Handouts on Medical laboratory assistant Directions to Hospitals Treating Medical laboratory assistant Risk calculators and risk factors for Medical laboratory assistant Healthcare Provider Resources Symptoms of Medical laboratory assistant Causes & Risk Factors for Medical laboratory assistant Diagnostic studies for Medical laboratory assistant Treatment of Medical laboratory assistant Continuing Medical Education (CME) CME Programs on Medical laboratory assistant International Medical laboratory assistant en Espanol Medical laboratory assistant en Francais Business Medical laboratory assistant in the Marketplace Patents on Medical laboratory assistant Experimental / Informatics List of terms related to Medical laboratory assistant ## Overview[edit | edit source] Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) prepare, and in some cases process samples within a pathology laboratory. They also utilise pre-analytical systems in order for biomedical scientists (BMS) or Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers to process the biochemical tests requested on the sample. The majority of an MLA's time is spent in processing specimens. As such, the MLA has to have excellent knowledge of their particular sample acceptance policy, whilst obeying the data protection act, patient confidentiality, COSHH and the Caldicott rules. A typical method of sample acceptance (in a clinical chemistry lab) is as follows: 1. Sample is received. 2. Sample is checked (to ensure that the sample is sent in the correct container for the specimen). 3. Patient's details checked and matched on both form and sample (non-matching samples and/or forms rejected). 4. Sample and form labelled with unique identifying number (UIN). 5. Tests requested on form receipted onto UIN on computer system. 6. Samples placed either on pre-analytical system by MLA or analysed immediately by BMS (dependent on test requested). 7. UIN attached to patient using patient identifying details on form. MLA's also deal with all sample queries and give low level advice to clinical staff on sample acceptance and correct sampling method. They may also do minor upkeep on the pre-analytical systems as well as further upkeep on some point of care analysers -- depending on the laboratory in which they are based. ## See also[edit | edit source] * Medical technologist Template:WikiDoc Sources