CAP Pro Course - Laboratory Management - Monitoring the Quality Control Program (2026 & 2027)

Continuing Education Credits

• P.A.C.E.® Contact Hours: 1 hour(s)
• Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Science CE Credit Hours -
  Supervision/Administration, Quality Control/Quality Assurance, and Safety: 1 hour(s)

Objectives

• Describe how to develop a quality control (QC) strategy.
• Select appropriate QC materials and describe the process for establishing QC ranges.
• Analyze QC results and suggest appropriate corrective action.
• Describe the proficiency testing process to include alternate testing processes.
• Evaluate proficiency testing results to ensure appropriate follow-up actions are taken.

Course Outline

• Describe how to develop a quality control (QC) strategy.
• The Purpose of Quality Control
• Quality Control Strategy
• QC Strategy: Position of Control Samples in an Analytic Run
• Testing Frequency for Controls
• QC Strategy: Recognizing Systematic and Random Errors
• CLIA Requirements for QC Testing: Waived and Nonwaived Testing
• CLIA Requirements for QC Testing: Frequency and Number of QC Materials
• CLIA Requirements for QC Testing: Alternate QC Procedures
• Six Sigma
• The chemistry supervisor is reviewing the monthly quality control graphs. The attached graph for one of the analytes was included. Which of the follow...
• The manager is working to establish a sigma score for each analyte on the chemistry analyzer. What does a sigma score of 5 imply for the analysis?
• You observe a change in the mean of your monthly low control. Which type of error is most likely affected?
• The lead technologist is reviewing the quality control (QC) graph shown on the right, which represents ten days of QC testing for one level of control...
• Select appropriate QC materials and describe the process for establishing QC ranges.
• Choosing Appropriate Control Materials
• Liquid Controls versus Lyophilized Controls
• Assayed and Unassayed Controls
• Collecting Data for Calculating Control Ranges
• Setting the Control Range
• Setting the Control Range, continued
• Verifying Ranges of Assayed Controls
• Establishing QC Ranges for Unassayed Controls
• Choosing QC Materials for Qualitative Tests That Use a Cutoff Value
• A new lot of quality control is being implemented for all chemistry analytes. Ranges for each control are being established. The mean of the calcium c...
• The lead technologist is setting up a new qualitative test method based on quantitative measurement. The technologist is evaluating the control materi...
• You need to establish control ranges for unassayed liquid controls from a new vendor (Note: these are liquid and not lyophilized controls). You will b...
• Analyze QC results and suggest appropriate corrective action.
• Quality Control Rules
• Reviewing QC
• Reviewing QC Results and Implementing Corrective Action
• Adjusting the Mean
• Delta Checks
• The quality control review revealed the graph on the right. The supervisor is reviewing this with all testing personnel and requesting assistance with...
• On the weekly QC review, the graph at the right was noted on one analyte. This graph is referred to the laboratory manager for review as the technolog...
• The instrument operator for the day has obtained unacceptable control results for a certain analyte, with both levels of control between 2 and 3 stand...
• You are the supervisor for the automated chemistry bench reviewing the monthly QC. A portion of the data is shown on the chart to the right. Your labo...
• Describe the proficiency testing process to include alternate testing processes.
• Proficiency Testing
• Proficiency Testing Requirements and Process
• Assessing Performance When Proficiency Testing Materials Are Not Available
• A set of proficiency testing samples is being tested. Two samples yielded all results within the laboratory's published normal range, and no flags wer...
• A technologist working alone is unsure of the low analyte value obtained on a single proficiency testing sample. The result was outside of the normal ...
• A laboratory is performing a test for which no proficiency testing materials are available. It is an esoteric test with few abnormal results, making i...
• Evaluate proficiency testing results to ensure appropriate follow-up actions are taken.
• Reviewing Proficiency Testing Results
• Errors That May Cause Proficiency Testing Failure
• Suspension or Deemed Limited Use of Certificate and Requirements for Reinstatement
• Proficiency testing results are returned to the laboratory director. One event is "Unscored" with a comment "Lack of Consensus." Which of the followin...
• A small laboratory has had three unsuccessful PT events for electrolytes. All remaining analytes and test specialties have had successful PT. They hav...
• References
• References

Additional Information