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Medical Lab Instruments

Medical laboratories are filled with a wide variety of equipment and instruments used in caring for and treating an assortment of patient needs. Labs must contain the materials necessary to perform common medical tasks that range from microbiology to phlebotomy to sterilization. Knowledge and correct usage of these instruments is imperative in a professional medical laboratory.

  1. Phlebotomy

    • Phlebotomy equipment is used in the collection of blood specimens for testing and research. Labs that perform phlebotomy must contain needles, blood transfer tubes, Vacutainers, alcohol wipes, bandages, cotton or gauze, tourniquets and a centrifuge.

    Autoclave

    • Autoclaves are used in medical labs to sterilize instruments through the application of heat and pressure in a vacuum-sealed container. To autoclave properly, the lab must have autoclave bags to seal in instruments, indicator tape that shows when sterilization is complete and thermal gloves to remove hot metal instruments from the autoclave.

    Microscope

    • Many types of microscopes are used in medical laboratories. This instrument uses glass slides and covers along with saline and pipettes to examine cells extracted from the body. Cells are collected on a swab and smeared onto the glass slide; saline is dripped onto cells and the slide cover is placed on top. This process helps to magnify the cells without damaging them, thus allowing doctors to make an accurate diagnosis.

    Sharps and Biohazard

    • Every lab must have sharps and bio-hazard containers clearly labeled and positioned where they will be the most useful. Sharps containers are thick plastic red labeled containers where lab technicians deposit used needles, syringes, lancets and glass medication bottles. Bio-hazard containers are also red and are set in a designated place in the laboratory for the disposal of any item that was exposed to blood and other bodily fluids.

    Personal Safety

    • All medical laboratories are required to provide the technicians with personal safety equipment when handling certain specimens. Protective eye goggles, face masks, gloves, disinfecting towelettes, an eye wash station and 10% bleach are common laboratory safety items. These instruments are used to keep the patient's environment as sterile as possible and the lab tech safe.

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