Non-waived Competency

Hi Jennifer!  When we have staff who haven't already run QC or a PT sample, we do eat the cost and have them run a QC.  With regards to your designated shift coordinator - make sure they meet the requirements of a Technical Consultant since they will be assessing competency of a moderately-complex test and have your Medical Director designate them in writing either by name or by title.  

Hi Jennifer, 
Is the cost of QC cheaper than if your PT supplier/subscription offers PT samples in bulk not to be used for PT Program but for competency assessment? 
Agree with Angle on meeting CLIA requirements of Technical Consultant. In addition, for moderate testing, remember the CMS-209 form (used by surveyor) since that includes Technical Consultants under the CLIA#).

Running a QC as part of the competency is standard for all.  We have far too many testing staff to be covered with monthly QC or PT.  We don't even bother to look who has or hasn't ran QC/PT when performing the competencies.

Hi there. I had to do a deeper dive last year specifically with Element 3 and ACT testing competency. The QC portion for #3 can be fulfilled by having the user force electronic QC. Although, we still end up using a vial of QC for our blind sample.

Given the nature of the test, what do you use for the blind sample, if not QC?

We also eat the cost of having each operator do a QC and a fake patient using QC.  It's much easier to do it for everyone than to go through all the operators to see if they have done a QC.

My issue with using liquid QC for our iSTAT ACT is that QC is not like a patient.  I do use some QC for competency check off, but i prefer whole blood.  I recently have been using an already collected leftover lithium heparin tube for some blind samples - put sample in a syringe and cap it (this is much more like a real patient sample) - the result will be >1000 as expected.  For skills fairs I have donated my own blood  - a 10 ml syringe fill a heparin microtainer and take 1 to 2 drops from the microtainer to add to rest of the 10 mls of blood.  mixing the 2 drops from microtainer with rest of blood can be done in a large tube or a urine cup.  Then that sample is drawn in a syringe.  I run the ACT first and then have all in skills use the sample. establish a mean and use the Proficiency test grading criteria to establish acceptability.