A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests

CONTENTS

1-  Diagnostic Testing

2-  Blood studies: Hematology and Coagulation 56

3-  Urine Studies

4-  Stool Studies

5-  Cerebrospinal Fluid Studies

6-  Chemistry Studies

7-  Microbiologic Studies

8-  Immunodiagnostic Studies

9-  Nuclear Medicine Studies

10- X-Ray Studies

11-  of Cytologic (Cells) and Histologic (Tissue) Studies

12- ENDOSCOPIC STUDIES

13- Ultrasound Studies

14- Pulmonary Function Tests

15- Prenatal Diagnosis

16- Special Diagnostic Studies

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PURPOSE

The purpose of A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, in this eighth edition, is to pro-

mote the delivery of safe, effective, and informed care for patients undergoing diagnostic tests

and procedures and also to provide the clinician and student, educators and researchers, and

others with a unique resource. This comprehensive manual provides a foundation for under-

standing diagnostic tests, from the relatively simple to the most complex, that are delivered to

varied populations in varied settings. It describes the clinician’s role in providing effective

diagnostic services in depth, through affording the necessary information for quality care plan-

ning, individualized patient assessment, analysis of patient needs, appropriate interventions,

patient education, patient follow-up, and timely outcome evaluation.

Potential risks and complications of diagnostic testing mandate that proper test protocols,

interfering factors, follow-up testing, and collaboration among those involved in the testing

process be a significant part of the information included in this text.

ORGANIZATION

This book is organized into 16 chapters and 6 appendices. Chapter 1 outlines the clinician’s

role in diagnostic testing and includes interventions for safe, effective, informed pre-, intra,

and post-test care. This chapter includes a Patient’s Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, a model

for the role of the clinical team in providing diagnostic care and services, test environments,

reimbursement for diagnostic services, and the importance of communication as key to

desired outcomes. The intratest section includes information about collaborative approaches

facilitating family presence during invasive procedures; risk management; the collection, han-

dling, and transport of specimens; infection control; controlling pain; comfort measures;

administration of drugs and solutions; monitoring fluid intake and loss; using required equip-

ment kits and supplies; properly positioning the patient for the procedure; managing the envi-

ronment; and patient monitoring. The reader is referred back to Chapter 1, Diagnostic

Testing, throughout the text for information about the clinician’s role and diagnostic services.

Chapters 2 through 16 focus upon specific categories of studies.

CHAPTER CONTENT AND FEATURES

Studies are organized in a similar way for ease of use and include:

Introductory Information

• Background rationale

• Test purpose

• Interfering factors

• Description and method of the procedure and lab test completion

• Evidence-based outcomes

• Patient involvement

Reference Values

• Normal reference values

• Conventional and SI units

• Age-related values and critical values when applicable

Procedures

• Process of intratest care

• Method of specimen collection and handling for lab tests

• Method of diagnostic procedures

Clinical Implications

• Interpretation of abnormal findings

• Unexpected outcomes

• Disease patterns

• Clinical considerations for newborn, infant, child, adolescent, and older adult groups

when appropriate

Interventions

• Pre- and post-test patient care

• Specific guidelines for each test phase

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