BLOOD FILM ASSESSMENT | HEMATOLOGICAL PRACTICE | RECOMENDATIONS | REFERENCES



CONCLUSION
Blood film assessment is the basic assessment to identify a good hematological practice. Blood film making is a daily routine in all hematology laboratories and should be carefully handled. A well made blood film gives accuracy to any analysis its being used for. So also is a well-stained blood film. Blood films are products of the laboratory and should therefore be subject to checks on their consistency and quality in terms of minimum requirements for acceptability. 

It is the responsibility of the laboratory management to put such checking procedures in place. In an entirely manual environment, sufficient training and—when necessary—remedial training should be offered to the laboratory staff to ensure that blood films of sufficient and consistent quality are being prepared. In automated and semi-automated environments, staff should be properly trained in instrument use, and records of instrument maintenance should be kept. 

The choice of stain and stain preparation also must be carefully analyzed to acquire a bright and well stained films for proper differentiation and identification. Over-staining in hematology is advice to be avoided because if the cells are over stained, microscopy will be altered. Accurate timing should be observed while staining, as stated in this seminar work. Conclusively, it is worthy of Note that a good blood film makes a good hematologist because blood film making is one of the basis in hematology practices.


RECOMMENDATION
The laboratory is recommended to participate in (external) proficiency testing programs, although such programs mostly test the laboratory’s ability to properly stain a blood film and assess the morphological skills of the staff. In external proficiency testing programs, logistics and the aging of blood specimens usually prohibit the blood film preparation itself, especially when blood specimens are mailed out to the individual institutions.

APPENDIX
·  EDTA means ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid. this can also be taken for EDETATE which is a salt of EDTA.
·  WHO means world health organization. This arm pose as a standard of ensuring better health practice in the world.
·  HEPA means high-efficiency particulate air.
·  CLL means chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. This shows increase in the number of lymphocytes in the blood and bone marrow.
·  Turks solution is a solution containing Acetic acid 2%v/v and a tinge of gentian violet. It is used for white cell count.
·  RBC means red blood cell
·  WBC means white blood cell
·  Neubauer counting chamber is a counting chamber that consists of a thick rectangular glass slide with an ‘H’ shaped trough, forming two counting areas.

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