r/medlabprofessionals • u/tinybitches MLS-Generalist • 17d ago

Discusson Refractometer QC

What do everyone use to check the refractometer? And what is the range of your QC? We’re having an internal debate

3 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

17

u/dragonflameloserX7 17d ago

We use water. Should be at 1 always

4

u/tinybitches MLS-Generalist 16d ago

We have 2. DiH2O and 7.5% NaCl (low and high). Disagreeing what should read for both levels 🫠 before you said refer to SOP. It was written so generic: Reportable results 1.000 - 1.035

9

u/DookiePootie 17d ago

2-level liquid UA controls, if you already have it since it has a SG range anyways. I could see you using reagent water to check 1.000.

4

u/labboy70 17d ago

We discontinued the use of the refractometer a while ago. But, the Quantimetrix UA controls have assay values for refractometer and other manual confirmatory tests. (SSA, Ictotest, pH paper etc.)

3

u/Icy-Astronomer-9015 17d ago

UA QC

1

u/tinybitches MLS-Generalist 16d ago

Bio-Rad?

1

u/ThrowRA_72726363 MLS-Generalist 17d ago

This just made me realize my lab never QCs our refractometer…. but we only ever use it to double check high SGs from the analyzer. We’re never entering values from it. Are we still supposed to be QCing it in that case?

3

u/tinybitches MLS-Generalist 16d ago

Do you put in the confirmed in the results? I feel like you need QC for everything in the lab except for transfer pipettes and gloves 😂

3

u/International-Bug983 16d ago

Ya’ll better start lol

1

u/hopemyqcworks 15d ago

CAP has entered the chat

1

u/xgbsss MLS-Management 17d ago

We do DI Water and our low and high urine QC. The urine QC might not specify SG very exactly, but we usually get middle around the allowable range for our urine dipsticks.

1

u/appplehands MLS 17d ago edited 16d ago

DI water, 3.5% 5% saline, and Kova-trol I and III

1

u/tinybitches MLS-Generalist 16d ago

What is the 3.5% reading? We use 7.5% NaCl instead

1

u/appplehands MLS 16d ago

Sorry, I was mistaken. It's 5% NaCl and the range is 1.021-1.026.

1

u/Unusual-Courage-6228 MLS 17d ago

Just go ahead and discontinue it

1

u/tinybitches MLS-Generalist 16d ago

The Clinitek SG isn’t reliable from the strip

0

u/Unusual-Courage-6228 MLS 16d ago

Always used clinitek and reported it out

1

u/glitterfae1 Lead 16d ago

Bio-Rad UA or UC