Higher Specialist Diploma
Clinical Chemistry
Examination - September 2022
Short Answer Questions
60 minutes
Attempt all four questions
Instructions to candidates
1. Record your candidate number and HSD discipline on the front sheet of the answer
booklet
2. Record your candidate number, the question number and the page number in the spaces
provided on the answer sheets
3. Each question is worth 25 marks.
Page | 1
HSD in Clin Chem – Sept 2022 Short Answer, Essay and Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
, 1. You have been approached by a consultant in the accident and Emergency department
to consider expanding on their biochemistry POCT offering within the department.
a. State two tests that are currently available as POCT options and the clinical situations
where they are useful. (6 marks)
b. If implementing a new POCT piece of equipment, what are the key considerations.
(9 marks)
c. What steps would need to be taken to ensure the quality of results. (10 marks)
2. A recent TSH result has been reported incorrectly and it has been determined that the
cause was assay interference. You have been asked to provide a training session to staff
on immunoassay interferences.
a. Name two different types of immunoassays in automation and provide examples of
analytes which use each method. (5 marks)
b. Provide an overview of the benefits of immunoassay. (10 marks)
c. Provide a brief description of the limitations of automated immunoassay, including
different types of immunoassay interference. (10 marks)
3. A myeloma patient with a serum sodium level of 145mmol / l and a total protein of 94 g
/ l has been held in the queue for validation. Describe your actions in terms of
investigating this result prior to its release.
a. Identify why this result might have been held for validation. (10 marks)
b. Considering the analysis methods potentially involved, what implications might the
limitation of the assays have on the results produced? (8 marks)
c. Describe the actions you would take to investigate these results to confirm their validity
prior to their release. (7 marks)
Page | 2
HSD in Clin Chem – Sept 2022 Short Answer, Essay and Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
Clinical Chemistry
Examination - September 2022
Short Answer Questions
60 minutes
Attempt all four questions
Instructions to candidates
1. Record your candidate number and HSD discipline on the front sheet of the answer
booklet
2. Record your candidate number, the question number and the page number in the spaces
provided on the answer sheets
3. Each question is worth 25 marks.
Page | 1
HSD in Clin Chem – Sept 2022 Short Answer, Essay and Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
, 1. You have been approached by a consultant in the accident and Emergency department
to consider expanding on their biochemistry POCT offering within the department.
a. State two tests that are currently available as POCT options and the clinical situations
where they are useful. (6 marks)
b. If implementing a new POCT piece of equipment, what are the key considerations.
(9 marks)
c. What steps would need to be taken to ensure the quality of results. (10 marks)
2. A recent TSH result has been reported incorrectly and it has been determined that the
cause was assay interference. You have been asked to provide a training session to staff
on immunoassay interferences.
a. Name two different types of immunoassays in automation and provide examples of
analytes which use each method. (5 marks)
b. Provide an overview of the benefits of immunoassay. (10 marks)
c. Provide a brief description of the limitations of automated immunoassay, including
different types of immunoassay interference. (10 marks)
3. A myeloma patient with a serum sodium level of 145mmol / l and a total protein of 94 g
/ l has been held in the queue for validation. Describe your actions in terms of
investigating this result prior to its release.
a. Identify why this result might have been held for validation. (10 marks)
b. Considering the analysis methods potentially involved, what implications might the
limitation of the assays have on the results produced? (8 marks)
c. Describe the actions you would take to investigate these results to confirm their validity
prior to their release. (7 marks)
Page | 2
HSD in Clin Chem – Sept 2022 Short Answer, Essay and Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
