Laboratory

        Caption L to R: JaQuana Haley, LA, Sheila Love, MLT, Brandi Turner, phlebotomist, Charlene Shorter, MLT, Hermenia Clark, MLT, Brenda Smith, MLT, Lab Director.

NSMC IS CERTIFIED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND CLIA FOR ALL CLINICAL TESTING PERFORMED. THE LAB PARTICIPATES IN THE COLLEGE OF AMERICAN PATHOLOGISTS AND STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFICIENCY TESTING PROGRAM

AT NSMC, QUALITY IS NOT COMPROMISED FOR EXPEDIENCY. TESTS ORDERED OUTSIDE OF OUR WIDE RANGE AT NSMC WILL BE FORWARDED TO OUR REFERENCE LABORATORY. LAB CORP LABORATORIES, A LEADER IN INNOVATIVE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, PROVIDES NSMC WITH DAILY PICK UPS AND DELIVERIES.

TEST RESULTS FROM EVERY SECTIONS FO THE LABORATORY ARE ROUTINELY MONITORED FOR RELIABILITY, PRECISION, AND ACCURACY BY BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, THE LABORATORY UNDERGOES PERIODIC ON-SITE INSPECTIONS IN ORDER TO MEET REQUIREMENTS OF THESE PROGRAMS.

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TESTS AVAILABLE

BACTERIOLOGY: GENITAL CULTURE, UPPER RESPIRATORY, LOWER RESPIRATORY, TB, URINE CULTURE, ENTERIC- (SALMONELLA/SHIGELLA), AND MISCELLANEOUS CULTURE (EYE, EAR, FLUIDS, WOUNDS ETC.). ANAEROBIC AND AEROBIC CULTURE

COAGULATION THERAPY

PT/APTT- SUBMIT A BLUE TUBE WITHIN 1 HR OF TIME OF COLLECTION.

PLEASE PUT TUBE ON ICE IF NOT SUBMITTED WITHIN TIME FRAME.

HEMATOLOGY: COUNT (CBC) WITH AUTOMATED DIFFERENTIAL AND PLATELET COUNT.- SUBMIT A PURPLE TOP TUBE WITH AT LEAST 3-5ML OF WHOLE BLOOD INVERT SEVERAL TIMES TO MIX. SPECIMENS OVER 24 HOURS OLD CAN NOT BE TESTED. PANIC VALUED WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED ON PATIENT RESULTS. SICKLE CELL, HGB, HCT, AND SED RATES ARE DONE ON PURPLE TOP ALSO.

URINALYSIS

SUBMIT AT LEAST 3ML OF URINE IN A STERILE CONTAINER. CULTURES WILL BE SET UP WHEN INDICATED. MICROSCOPIC EVALUATION WILL BE PREFORMED IF INDICATED.

PARASITOLOGY

OVA, CYST, AND PARASITE- COLLECT STOOL IN A CLEAN CONTAINER. THE SAMPLE MUST BE REFRIGERATED IF NOT BROUGHT DIRECTLY TO THE LAB. OCCULT BLOOD SHOULD BE COLLECTED IN A CLEAN CONTAINER.

TOXICOLOGY

ETOH LEVEL (alcohol) ARE COLLECTED IN A GREEN, RED OR GRAY TOP. DO NOT USE ALCOHOL WHEN CLEANING THE SITE FOR VENIPUNCTURE. BETADINE ONLY PLEASE. REFRIGERATE AND DELAY IN TRANSPORT TO THE LAB. ETHYL ALCOHOL IS COLLECTED AND RUN AT NSMC FOR MEDICAL PURPOSE ONLY, NOT FOR LEGAL USE.

THERAPEUTIC DRUG LEVELS

CURRENT TEST AVAILABLE-

DIGOXIN

DILANTIN

PHENOBARBITAL

THEOPHYLINE

VANCOMYCIN

ACETAMINOPHEN

SALICYLIC

FOR THE ABOVE TEST SUBMIT A RED TOP WITHIN 1 HR FROM THE TIME OF COLLECTION.

IMMUNOLOGY

HEPATITIS PROFILE HIV MONO, RA/RF, RPRL/VDRL, RUBELLA, ETC.

SUBMIT A RED TO WITHIN 1 HR OF COLLECTION. PREGNANCY TEST (URINE)

SUBMIT AT LEAST 1ML OF URINE. PREGNANCY TEST (SERUM)- PSA, CEA CA125 SUBMIT A FULL RED TOP. BLOOD BANK- BLOOD TYPE (ABO/RH) ANTIBODY SCREEN

SUBMIT A FULL RED TOP AND A LAVENDER/PURPLE TOP ALSO

SUBMIT RED AND A PURPLE TOP TUBE.

CLINICAL CHEMISTRY

SUBMIT A FULL RED OR GREEN TOP TUBE WITHIN 1 HOUR OF COLLECTION. PROPER IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIMEN IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. UNIDENTIFIED SAMPLES WILL NOT BE TESTED, THEREFORE, CLEARLY LABEL EACH SPECIMEN WITH THE PATIENT FULL NAME, DATE AND TIME OF COLLECTION. TO INSURE ACCURATE TEST RESULTS, ALL TUBES CONTAINING AN ANTICOAGULANT OR PRESERVATIVE MUST BE ALLOWED TO FILL COMPLETELY. ATTEMPTS TO FORCE MORE BLOOD INTO THE TUBE BY EXERTING PRESSURE WILL RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE RED CELLS (HEMOLYSIS). LIPEMIA INTERFERES WITH MANY CLINICAL TEST, THEREFORE, A FASTING SPECIMEN IS PREFERRED, BUT NOT NECESSARY. EVERY TEST RESULTS WILL INCLUDE APPROPRIATE NORMAL VALUES. ALSO, ABNORMAL

PANIC VALUES WILL BE REPORTED BY PHONE TO THE APPROPRIATED PERSON.

THYROID PROFILE

T3, T4, TSH, FREE T4 UPON REQUEST- SUBMIT A RED TOP

NSMC LAB TECHS/PHLEBOTOMIST ARE LICENSED PERSONNEL AND ARE QUALIFIED IN ALL AREA OF THE LAB AND CAN HELP IN ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. WE OFFER FULL SERVICE, STATE-OF –THE-ART EQUIPMENT TO HELP FACILITATE YOUR NEED. THE LAB IS OPEN 24/7. WE ARE A LOCAL FACILITY IN THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA REGION, WILLING TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR PATIENT’S CARE AND QUALITY OF THAT CARE PERTAINING TO THE LAB TESTING AND TURN AROUND TIME OF THE RESULTS YOU WILL NEED TO BE BETTER YOUR PATIENT CARE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS , PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL. 662 756-1626.

For additional Lab related questions visit www.labtestsonline.org