TEACHER’S
RESOURCE PACKET
+
Furnished by ASCP and Roche
+
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lesson At-A-Glance ...………………………………………...……………..…..……. Page 3
Lesson Plan ……………………….……………………………………………….……. Pages 4 - 16
Glossary of Terms ..…………………………………………………………..…..…….. Pages 17 - 19
Student Worksheet Answer Key ..………...…………………..…………………….. Pages 20 - 21
Student Worksheet ...………………………………………………………………….. Page 22 - 23
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for your interest in learning more about Medical Laboratory Professions! This
Teacher’s Resource Packet contains everything you’ll need to successfully teach this
lesson in a classroom or a computer lab.
At the end of this packet, you’ll find a Glossary with definitions of the relevant
terminology used in the Lab Hero Challenge. It’s best to print one copy per group/pair
of students prior to the beginning of the lesson as a reference tool.
The student worksheet and answer key can also be found at the end of the resource
packet. Please print one worksheet per student to ensure active participation
throughout the lesson. You also may want to print a copy of the answer key for your
own reference.
TOTAL TIME ESTIMATE: 45 min
Copyright 2015 ASCP. All Rights Reserved
2
+
LESSON AT-A-GLANCE
SESSION OBJECTIVE
Students are introduced to the inner workings of a pathology laboratory and learn what
medical lab professionals do on a daily basis.
PRE-SESSION PREP
• Familiarize yourself with
the website.
• Read through this Teacher’s Resource Guide.
• Prepare definitions for words that your class
may be unfamiliar with, e.g., “pathology,”
“accessioning,” “grossing.” These will be
covered in the material, but it could be helpful
to discuss them early in the session to ensure a
more complete understanding.
• Confirm all computers are functional with
SET-UP NOTE
Some of the following directions
are written for a situation with a
computer and projector for the
full class to see and read the
screen. There are also adapted
directions for a computer lab
with one computer per 1-2
students. Please use the
directions relevant to your
environment.
MATERIALS
•
Student Worksheet + Answer Key
•
Projector and Computer
•
Glossary Page
•
Internet Connection
TIMING BREAKDOWN
Welcome and Orientation……………………………………….………………….…..…2 minutes
Introduction to Module………………………………………………………….…...……..2 minutes
Introduction of Patient & Lab Heroes…………………………...………………..………8 minutes
Our Lab-Tastic Journey……………………………………………...……………..………20 minutes
Wrap-Up…………………………………………………………………...……………..…….5 minutes
3
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
WELCOME AND ORIENTATION (2 minutes)
Introduce students to the lesson: “Today we’ll be doing the Lab Hero
Challenge to investigate careers as medical lab professionals. Medical
lab professionals help diagnose many cancers and diseases, saving lives
as modern-day heroes.”
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
Orient the students by saying, “Up on the screen, you’ll see we’re at
the WhatsMyNext.org website. This is a great source for more
information about these jobs and how to start a career, and it’s also
where we’ll complete the Lab Hero Challenge today.”
•
Click on the ‘Test Your Skills’ button at the top of the page and then
choose Lab Hero Challenge.
COMPUTER LAB ENVIRONMENT
•
Instruct students to navigate to the WhatsMyNext.org website.
•
Explain, “This is a great source for more information about these jobs
and how to start a career, and it’s also where we’ll complete the Lab
Hero Challenge today.”
•
Instruct students to click on the title page to bring up the introduction
screen.
4
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
INTRODUCTION TO MODULE (2 minutes)
The narration of the module will introduce the class to clinical laboratory
professionals and what they’ll be doing in the
e-learning module.
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
Click “BEGIN” and then listen to the following three screens.
COMPUTER LAB ENVIRONMENT
Instruct students to click “BEGIN” and listen to the following three screens.
5
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
INTRODUCTION OF PATIENT & LAB HEROES (8 minutes)
The module will introduce the class
to an example breast cancer patient,
as well as the three Lab Heroes.
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
Proceed through the screens about the patient, Jodie, and the “Meet
Our Lab Heroes” screen.
•
Karen, Darren, and Dr. Watanabe come on screen next; interact with
the screen to learn more about each Lab Hero.
COMPUTER LAB ENVIRONMENT
•
Give students time to make their way through the pop-up on the title
page, the instructions, the section about the patient, Jodie, and the
“Meet Our Lab Heroes” section.
•
Students should familiarize themselves with the patient and the Lab
Heroes.
•
Instruct students to pause after learning about Dr. Watanabe.
•
Bring the class back together after 8 minutes by calling on three
students to identify something about each Lab Hero that helps
him/her do a good job.
6
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
Ask a student to read Karen’s Background and Qualifications from
the screen.
•
Click on each black-and-white icon to bring up her “Powers.”
•
Ask another student to point out something they notice about Karen
that helps her do a good job.
7
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
Ask a student to read Darren’s Background and Qualifications from
the screen.
•
Click on each black-and-white icon to bring up his “Powers.”
•
Ask another student to point out something they notice about Darren
that helps him do a good job.
8
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
Ask a student to read Dr. Watanabe’s Background and Qualifications
from the screen.
•
Click on each black-and-white icon to bring up his “Powers.”
•
Ask another student to point out something they notice about Dr.
Watanabe that helps him do a good job.
9
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
OUR LAB-TASTIC JOURNEY (20 minutes)
The module walks the class through a lab’s rooms and processes. The
Accessioning Area is first, then the Grossing Station.
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
Continue the narration until the first Challenge, “Hand Me That,” is on
the screen.
COMPUTER LAB ENVIRONMENT
•
Direct students to walk through the full “Our Lab-Tastic Journey.”
•
Remind students to keep notes on their worksheet of answers to
challenges, as well as any questions that arise.
10
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
Lead the class through each step in deciding which tool should be used
for each step in the Grossing process.
11
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
Continue to the section entitled “How’s your spatial thinking?” and
access the inking diagram to show the class how the sample was
oriented and learn the terms.
•
Lead the class through the Inking Challenge, “3D Thinking.”
12
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
•
The narration continues from “Time for a good long soak” to the
“Histology Lab,” and then “Embedding Center.”
Lead the class through the “Choose the Tool” Challenge.
13
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
•
Play the narration from “Sectioning, Mounting & Staining” through the
section featuring Dr. Watanabe.
Lead the class through the “What can you spot?” Challenge.
14
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
•
The narration will continue through “Reporting & Consulting” and “Our
Lab Heroes.”
•
Lead the class through completion of the “Can you remember the path?”
Challenge.
COMPUTER LAB ENVIRONMENT
•
Direct the students to complete the “Can you remember the path?”
Challenge and then reconvene the class.
15
+
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
WRAP-UP (5 minutes)
•
Ask if the class has any questions to discuss.
•
Call on 2-3 students to share something they learned during
the module.
•
Encourage the class to access the website again to learn about the
education needed to succeed in lab careers.
Copyright 2015 ASCP. All Rights Reserved
16
+
FIGHTING BREAST CANCER
GLOSSARY
accessioning: entering the demographics for a particular patient’s analysis into an
information system; logging or documenting a specimen coming in to the lab.
anatomic pathology laboratory: a medical facility responsible for the handling,
processing, and diagnosis of tissue specimens received from the operating room and
outpatient surgery centers.
anterior: an anatomic orientation term meaning situated nearer the front part of the
body. For example, the anterior surface of the heart is toward the breast bone (the
sternum). Anterior is the opposite of posterior.
ASCP: The American Society for Clinical Pathology
biopsy: a tissue sample removed from the body for microscopic examination, usually to
establish a diagnosis.
BS: Bachelor of Science degree
ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): a cluster of malignant cells in the mammary ducts that
has not spread to surrounding breast tissue. DCIS is the most common noninvasive
breast cancer and accounts for 25% of all breast cancer diagnoses. If left untreated, as
many as 50% of patients with DCIS will develop invasive cancer. Because these cells
grow in the ducts, they develop without forming a palpable mass. In its early stage, this
condition can be diagnosed through the use of mammography.
embedding: in histology, the process of surrounding a specimen with a firm and
sometimes hard medium such as paraffin, wax, celloidin, or a resin, to make possible
the cutting of thin sections for microscopic examination.
eosin: any of several red dyes used in histology, often in conjunction with hematoxylin. It
is attracted to cytoplasm, which stains pink.
formalin: a 37% aqueous (water) solution of formaldehyde (a pungent gas). Formalin is
used as a histologic fixative for histology.
grossing: a short term for gross examination, which is the observing and recording of
aspects of tissue that are visible to the naked eye, i.e., without magnification by a
microscope.
hematoxylin: a crystalline compound (C 16 H 14 O 6 ) agent widely used in histology, often in
conjunction with eosin. It has an affinity for cell nuclei, which stain a deep blue.
17
+
FIGHTING BREAST CANCER
histology: a branch of anatomy that deals with the minute structure of animal and plant
tissues as discernible with the microscope; also called microscopic anatomy.
histotechnician: a health professional who prepares sections of body tissue for
examination by a pathologist, including the preparation of tissue specimens for
diagnostic, research, or teaching purposes. The histotechnician processes tissue by
fixation, dehydration, embedding, sectioning, decalcification, microincineration,
mounting, and routine and special staining.
HT: a Histology Technician
inferior: an anatomic orientation term meaning the undersurface; below or toward the
feet. For example, the heart is inferior to the brain. Inferior is the opposite of superior.
lateral: an anatomic orientation term meaning toward the left or right side of the body,
i.e., the side that is farther from the middle or center of the body. Lateral is the opposite
of medial.
lumpectomy: the surgical removal of a tumor and the immediately adjacent tissue from
the breast. If cancer is identified in the lump or in neighboring lymph nodes, adjunctive
therapies may be recommended, e.g., chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
medial: an anatomic orientation term meaning in or toward the middle; nearer the
middle of the body. For example, the medial side of the knee is the side closest to the
other knee whereas the lateral side of the knee is the outside of the knee. Medial is the
opposite of lateral.
microtome: an instrument for preparing thin sections of tissue for microscopic study.
MS: Master of Science degree
non-invasive: not tending to spread.
oncologist: a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. After
a cancer diagnosis is made, it is the oncologist’s role to explain the cancer diagnosis
and the meaning of the disease stage to the patient, discuss various treatment options,
recommend the best course of treatment, deliver optimal care, and improve quality of
life both through curative therapy and palliative care with pain and symptom
management.
PA: a Physician Assistant
18
+
FIGHTING BREAST CANCER
pathologist: a physician who identifies diseases and conditions by studying abnormal
cells and tissues. The pathologist evaluates or supervises diagnostic tests, and functions
as a laboratory consultant to clinicians. He/she may conduct experiments or other
investigations to determine the causes or nature of disease changes.
pathologists’ assistant: an intensively trained health professional who provides anatomic
pathology services and is qualified to perform all of the surgical and autopsy functions
of a pathologist leading up to, but not including, the diagnosis. His/her duties may
include preparation and gross description and dissection of human tissue surgical
specimens; photography and gross dissection skills for surgical specimens; training other
pathology lab personnel; and research and administration.
pathology: the study of the nature and cause of disease, which involves changes in
structure and function. Clinical pathology is the analysis of blood and body fluids (e.g.,
plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine) in the laboratory to aid in the diagnosis and
treatment of disease.
posterior: an anatomic orientation term meaning the back, or nearer the back of the
body. Posterior is the opposite of anterior.
sectioning: the slicing of thin sections of tissue, cells, microorganisms, or any other
material for examination under the microscope.
superior: an anatomic orientation term meaning above; situated nearer the top of the
head. For example, the superior surface of the tongue rests against the palate. Superior
is the opposite of inferior.
UCLA: University of California, Los Angeles
19
+
STUDENT WORKSHEET ANSWER KEY
1. Karen received a bachelor’s degree in _____, and then completed a two-year
master’s degree to become a _____.
(science, PA)
2. How long did Darren study in a histotechnician program before he
was certified?
(2 years)
3. Dr. Watanabe did NOT have to earn which of the following degrees to become
a pathologist?
a. PhD
b. MD
c. MS
d. BS
(correct answer = A)
4. Which of the following is NOT a room in the Lab-Tastic Journey?
a. Receiving and Grossing Room
b. Histology Lab
c. Gross Accessioning Area
d. Pathologist’s Office
(correct answer = C)
5. Why is a tissue specimen inked?
(To show how the tissue was positioned in the patient’s body before being
removed)
6. True or False: Hot paraffin wax is used before the cold console when a tissue
specimen is embedded.
(True)
7. Name the two agents used to color the cells and structures of a
tissue specimen.
(hematoxylin and eosin)
8. True or False: Hematoxylin stains acids in the cell nuclei pink and eosin stains
proteins in the cell cytoplasm blue.
(False. Hematoxylin stains blue and eosin stains pink.)
20
+
STUDENT WORKSHEET ANSWER KEY
9. Who makes the diagnosis after analyzing a tissue sample that has made its way
through a pathology lab? What else is included in the final report?
(The pathologist; also included is the prognosis and treatment
recommendations.)
10. Which Lab Hero role is most interesting to you? Why?
Copyright 2015 ASCP. All Rights Reserved
21
+
STUDENT WORKSHEET
1. Karen received a bachelor’s degree in ……………………………, and then
completed a two-year master’s degree to become a ……………………….
2. How long did Darren study in a histotechnician program before he
was certified?
…………………………………….
3. Dr. Watanabe did NOT have to earn which of the following degrees to become
a pathologist?
a. PhD
b. MD
c. MS
d. BS
4. Which of the following is NOT a room in the Lab-Tastic Journey?
a. Receiving and Grossing Room
b. Histology Lab
c. Gross Accessioning Area
d. Pathologist’s Office
5. Why is a tissue specimen inked?
…………………………………….…………………………………….…………………………
………….…………………………………….……………………………………………………
22
+
STUDENT WORKSHEET
6. True or False: Hot paraffin wax is used before the cold console when a tissue
specimen is embedded.
…………………………………….
7. Name the two agents used to color the cells and structures of a
tissue specimen.
…………………………………….
8. True or False: Hematoxylin stains acids in the cell nuclei pink and eosin stains
proteins in the cell cytoplasm blue.
…………………………………….
9. Who makes the diagnosis after analyzing a tissue sample that has made its way
through a pathology lab? What else is included in the final report?
…………………………………….…………………………………….…………………
………………….…………………………………….…………………………………….
10. Which Lab Hero role is most interesting to you? Why?
…………………………………….…………………………………….…………………
………………….…………………………………….…………………………………….
23