Naval Hospital Bremerton recognizes medical laboratory professionals

Photo By Douglas Stutz | The operational focus of laboratory technicians continues around the clock at Naval Hospital Bremerton as the command recognizes and honors Laboratory Department staff members during National Medical Laboratory Professionals week, April 19-25, 2015. Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Justin Barnes readies for a fluorescent microscopy test called ANA, or Anti-Nuclear Antibody Testing. “The ANA is a screening test. It’s sensitive but not specific. It can tell us that something is going on but not exactly what it is. The pattern we see glowing in the cells under the fluorescent light can tell the doctors which tests to order next and narrow down the possibilities. This is what we call a screening test that helps guide treatment in the right direction,” explained Barnes, a Scappoose, Ore. native (Official Navy photo by Douglas H Stutz, NHB Public Affairs).  

BREMERTON , WA, UNITED STATES

04.21.2015

Story by Douglas Stutz    

Naval Hospital Bremerton/Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bremerton

BREMERTON, Wash. - Naval Hospital Bremerton is recognizing and honoring Laboratory Department staff members during National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, April 19-25, 2015.

The behind-the-scenes responsibilities of the entire lab continually benefits and impacts direct patient care. The three officers - one lab officer and two pathologists - 25 enlisted and 12 civilians assigned, including several at Madigan Army Medical Center with the (Armed Services) Blood Bank Donation Center, and at Branch Health Clinic Everett, processed approximately 673,000 specimens, along with 8,598 cytology specimens last year.

“On behalf of the rest of the medical professions here, I appreciate the lab staff for all their hard work, and their customer service is the best I’ve ever seen,” said Capt. Christopher Quarles, Naval Hospital Bremerton commanding officer.

Enlisted personnel, such as Scappoose, Oregon, native Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Justin Barnes, are assigned to the lab, which is comprised of advanced medical laboratory technicians, histopathology technicians and cytology technicians.

“The lab is my passion. We get to help patients get the treatment they need,” said Barnes, adding that most of the technicians like himself have arrived at NHB straight out of lab school. “We got a lot of good hospital corpsmen first classes to learn from here.”

Barnes handles such microbiology tasks as Serology Testing to look for antibodies found in blood. Such tests are used to check for such conditions as arthritis and syphilis, as well as determining if a person has been vaccinated and whether or not the vaccine has been effective.

There is also a fluorescent microscopy test used called ANA, or Anti-Nuclear Antibody Testing, that Barnes can perform.

“The ANA is a screening test. It’s sensitive but not specific. It can tell us that something is going on but not exactly what it is. The pattern we see glowing in the cells under the fluorescent light can tell the doctors which tests to order next and narrow down the possibilities. This is what we call a screening test that helps guide treatment in the right direction,” explained Barnes.

The list of all the specific jobs/duties/responsibilities handled by the Med Lab technicians includes collecting blood or body fluids from patients; accessioning patient samples to allow automated equipment and laboratory information systems to analyze, interpret, and result provider ordered testing; processing patient samples to allow ordered tests to occur; performing testing in chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, microbiology, immunohematology (blood banking), serology, histology and cytology; collating and verifying testing results; certifying the authenticity of results and release them to the health care providers; conducting quality control and quality assurance initiatives to ensure the continued accuracy and precision of reported results; maintaining equipment in every area listed above; and taking part in continuing education efforts to grow professionally.

“The staff here is fantastic. I think we have the most well-rounded, eager group that we’ve had in a number of years. A lot of them have been committed to being cross-training in becoming better educated, becoming better Sailors and becoming better lab techs. And their customer service is outstanding,” said Capt. Patrick Lawson, NHB pathologist.

In Microbiology for example, the techs test samples sent from other departments in the hospital, as well as branch health clinics. They "plant" bacteria from the sample onto agar plates commonly called Petri dishes. It’s their responsibility to identify the bacteria that grows and then test it to see what antibodies the bacteria is sensitive or resistant to which can then help the providers treat infection(s). The techs also perform rapid tests to look for some viruses such as mononucleosis and influenza.

Besides obtaining and receiving patient samples (everything from blood to tissue) and processing them, areas of specialty include phlebotomy (the act or practice of opening a vein by incision or puncture to remove blood as a therapeutic treatment); chemistry (the study of the chemical processes in living organisms); urinalysis (an examination of the urine to determine the general health of the body and, specifically, kidney function); hematology (the study of the nature, function, and diseases of the blood and of blood-forming organs.); microbiology (the branch of biology dealing with the structure, function, uses, and modes of existence of microscopic organisms); serology (the science that deals with the properties and reactions of serums, especially blood serum); histology (the branch of biology dealing with the study of tissues); cytology (the study of the microscopic appearance of cells, especially for the diagnosis of abnormalities and malignancies); pathology (the science or the study of the origin, nature, and clinical course of diseases) and managing the blood bank (packed red blood cells or plasma is typed, processed, and stored for future use in transfusion).

“Our staff is constantly on point to keep up with all the results that are needed. They’re great. They are all so hard working. What we do in the lab is extremely important. We help health care providers and nurses to make diagnostic decisions and treatment for their patients,” said Lt. j.g. Tammy Nguyen, NHB Laboratory Division officer, noting that the lab is operational 24 hours of the day, seven days a week. “Our staff work to provide timely laboratory services to every ward and clinic for the command, as well as Branch Health Clinics Bangor, Everett and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. We’re also doing quality control constantly to ensure the results are correct.”

There is never any real down time in the laboratory. Laboratory personnel continually work around the clock to support the emergency room and all inpatient clinics and departments. The lab is open to beneficiaries for specimen collection and drop-off Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 to 12 a.m.

“They’re the best. We work very closely with them in Radiology,” said Mona Sherlock of Radiology’s Mammography Suite.

NHB's Laboratory has also been fully accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). It is also licensed and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

• Date Taken: 04.21.2015
• Date Posted: 04.22.2015 13:02
• Story ID: 160832
• Location: BREMERTON , WA, US