1.
State what is meant by POCT.
[1 mark]
- testing near the patient, not in the central lab
JD SCIENCE
Point-of-care testing
Indicative marking points. Award marks for equivalent scientific or mathematical wording. Do not issue this sheet with the student worksheet.
2.
State what is meant by governance of POCT.
[1 mark]
- a named lead and training
3.
State what is meant by a glucose meter.
[1 mark]
- capillary blood
4.
State what is meant by a urine dipstick.
[1 mark]
- timed reading, mid-stream sample
5.
State what is meant by blood gas (idea).
[1 mark]
- arterial or venous per protocol
6.
State what is meant by critical / alert values.
[1 mark]
- results that need immediate action
7.
State what is meant by limitations of POCT.
[1 mark]
- less precise than the lab sometimes
8.
State what is meant by waste from POCT.
[1 mark]
- sharps and contaminated strips
9.
State what is meant by training and lock-out.
[1 mark]
- untrained users cannot run the device
10.
State what is meant by stock control.
[1 mark]
- strips and QC material in date and stored correctly
11.
Noah is asked about POCT in a NCFE Healthcare Science paper.
(a) [2 marks]
- glucose, INR, blood gas, urine dip
(b) [3 marks]
- faster decisions
12.
Noah is asked about governance of POCT in a NCFE Healthcare Science paper.
(a) [2 marks]
- IQC and EQA still required
(b) [3 marks]
- connectivity to the record
13.
Noah is asked about a glucose meter in a NCFE Healthcare Science paper.
(a) [2 marks]
- coding / QC, expiry of strips
(b) [3 marks]
- wash hands, correct site
14.
Noah is asked about a urine dipstick in a NCFE Healthcare Science paper.
(a) [2 marks]
- false results if left too long
(b) [3 marks]
- infection control
15.
Noah is asked about blood gas (idea) in a NCFE Healthcare Science paper.
(a) [2 marks]
- no bubbles, mix, analyse quickly
(b) [3 marks]
- critical results phoned
16.
Noah is asked about critical / alert values in a NCFE Healthcare Science paper.
(a) [2 marks]
- know the list
(b) [3 marks]
- document who you told
17.
A glucose is 18.2 mmol/L, alert > 15. Action?
[3 marks]
- Final answer: treat as critical — escalate per SOP
18.
Strip pot of 50, 8 used. Remaining?
[3 marks]
- Final answer: 42
19.
QC every 24 h. Hours late at 30 h?
[3 marks]
- Final answer: 6
20.
A dipstick is read at 60 s, SOP says 30 s. Valid?
[3 marks]
- Final answer: no
21.
Three QC lots, one failed. Lots still in use if failed is quarantined?
[3 marks]
- Final answer: 2
22.
A clinic runs 40 glucoses. QC + 2 patient repeats. Total strip uses?
[3 marks]
- Final answer: 43
23.
Noah carries out a T-Level occupational task on point-of-care testing. This is a typical NCFE required-practical style question.
(a) [2 marks]
- Independent: the factor being investigated
- Dependent: the measured result or quality check
(b) [2 marks]
- follow the SOP and keep other variables constant
- so the test is fair / only one variable is changed
(c) [2 marks]
- not recording the batch/lot number or operator ID
24.
Noah carries out writing or following an SOP for point-of-care testing. This is a typical NCFE required-practical style question.
(a) [2 marks]
- Independent: a step in the method
- Dependent: whether the acceptance criteria are met
(b) [2 marks]
- same calibrated instrument
- so the test is fair / only one variable is changed
(c) [2 marks]
- skipping a verification check
25.
Noah carries out a COSHH / risk-assessment review for point-of-care testing. This is a typical NCFE required-practical style question.
(a) [2 marks]
- Independent: hazard
- Dependent: control measure effectiveness
(b) [2 marks]
- same PPE and waste route
- so the test is fair / only one variable is changed
(c) [2 marks]
- using expired reagents or the wrong waste stream
26.
Noah carries out data review in a LIMS or quality log for point-of-care testing. This is a typical NCFE required-practical style question.
(a) [2 marks]
- Independent: sample ID
- Dependent: result vs specification
(b) [2 marks]
- same calculation method
- so the test is fair / only one variable is changed
(c) [2 marks]
- transcription error between the instrument and the LIMS
27.
Compare POCT with a urine dipstick.
[4 marks]
- testing near the patient, not in the central lab
- timed reading, mid-stream sample
- state one workplace implication
28.
Compare governance of POCT with blood gas (idea).
[4 marks]
- a named lead and training
- arterial or venous per protocol
- state one workplace implication
29.
Compare a glucose meter with critical / alert values.
[4 marks]
- capillary blood
- results that need immediate action
- state one workplace implication
30.
Compare a urine dipstick with limitations of POCT.
[4 marks]
- timed reading, mid-stream sample
- less precise than the lab sometimes
- state one workplace implication
31.
Apply your knowledge of limitations of POCT to this situation: interferences
[3 marks]
- interferences
32.
Apply your knowledge of waste from POCT to this situation: correct bins
[3 marks]
- correct bins