Higher Specialist Diploma
Haematology
Examination – September 2021
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. Begin each new answer on a new page
4. Each question is worth 25 marks
HSD in Haematology – Sept 2021 Short-Answer, Essay Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
, 1. You are informed by the recently qualified biomedical scientist, that the normal and
abnormal QC has failed on both your haematology analysers this morning. The controls
were fine when tested yesterday morning, and the normal QC was within limits when it
was tested yesterday evening. What actions would you take?
2. Your latest blood coagulation EQA report is shown below. Discuss these results, and
outline further investigations (if any) you may take, justifying your decision
Assay FVIII FIX
Sample No 21/24 21/25
Your method 1-stage APTT 1-stage APTT
Your reagent Il SynthasIL Il SynthasIL
Your result 15.0 40.0
Units u/dl u/dl
Your normal range 50-150 50-150
Participants (n) 350 250
Median result (u/dl) 30.0 36.0
Your % deviation -50.0 11.1
Z-score -3.5 1.4
Performance grade e D
Cumulative grades e/e/e D/e/D
Cumulative performance Persistently outwith Persistently outwith
consensus consensus
Your interpretation Abnormal Borderline
Overall interpretations
Normal 0.5% 4.5%
Borderline 1.5% 14.5%
Abnormal 98.0% 81.0%
3. Your laboratory manager has asked you to evaluate performance of a new haematology
analyser. Briefly outline how would you plan to do this.
4. Your lab manager has asked you to prepare a presentation for band 5 BMSs on pre-
analytical variables and their effects on results. Describe the key points you would
make in your presentation.
HSD in Haematology – Sept 2021 Short-Answer, Essay Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
Haematology
Examination – September 2021
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. Begin each new answer on a new page
4. Each question is worth 25 marks
HSD in Haematology – Sept 2021 Short-Answer, Essay Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
, 1. You are informed by the recently qualified biomedical scientist, that the normal and
abnormal QC has failed on both your haematology analysers this morning. The controls
were fine when tested yesterday morning, and the normal QC was within limits when it
was tested yesterday evening. What actions would you take?
2. Your latest blood coagulation EQA report is shown below. Discuss these results, and
outline further investigations (if any) you may take, justifying your decision
Assay FVIII FIX
Sample No 21/24 21/25
Your method 1-stage APTT 1-stage APTT
Your reagent Il SynthasIL Il SynthasIL
Your result 15.0 40.0
Units u/dl u/dl
Your normal range 50-150 50-150
Participants (n) 350 250
Median result (u/dl) 30.0 36.0
Your % deviation -50.0 11.1
Z-score -3.5 1.4
Performance grade e D
Cumulative grades e/e/e D/e/D
Cumulative performance Persistently outwith Persistently outwith
consensus consensus
Your interpretation Abnormal Borderline
Overall interpretations
Normal 0.5% 4.5%
Borderline 1.5% 14.5%
Abnormal 98.0% 81.0%
3. Your laboratory manager has asked you to evaluate performance of a new haematology
analyser. Briefly outline how would you plan to do this.
4. Your lab manager has asked you to prepare a presentation for band 5 BMSs on pre-
analytical variables and their effects on results. Describe the key points you would
make in your presentation.
HSD in Haematology – Sept 2021 Short-Answer, Essay Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
