Veterinary Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnosis-II

INTRODUCTION

• A well-designed laboratory should be safe, pleasant and efficient place to work. When a new laboratory is being designed or renovation of an existing one is being planned, the design must meet to undertake quick and reliable diagnosis of diseases, the needs of laboratory staff, workers and visitors.
• A pleasant environment improves staff morale and productivity, minimizes unnecessary distractions. An efficient laboratory helps to improve productivity, to reduce errors, and to improve patient care. General considerations such as location, climatic conditions and other associated factors have to be considered while establishing a laboratory.
• The microbiological diagnostic laboratory would require to possess certain specialized technologies for examining suspected materials from living and dead animals.
• Good laboratory design is based on the concept of the unique functions of a Clinical Microbiology Laboratory (CML). The CML is differ from other clinical laboratories by
  • As CML involves the isolation, propagation and handling of pathogenic microorganisms that pose a risk to laboratory personnel.
  • To minimize this risk, the CML must have different level of biosafety depends on microorganisms handled.
  • The laboratory design must be such that the necessary precautions are taken to  minimize the contaminants.
  • The laboratory design must accommodate specialized equipment used only in microbiology laboratories.
• The needs of laboratory will change overtime, often many times between construction of laboratory and any subsequent renovations. Thus, the best approach to designing is to use most generic design, as it reduces the cost of construction, renovations and ongoing maintenance.