Third year Science unit, LSB647 Diagnostic Microbiology: practical examination

Developed by Associate Professor Louise Hafner, Dr Deb Stenzel and Moira Cordiner

Synopsis of the task and its context

This unit is offered at QUT. Students, in a supervised examination, demonstrate laboratory skills (detection, isolation, drawing and identification) to identify organisms, types of samples and methods of preparation. They examine live cultures, clinical isolates, prepared specimens, samples, micrographs and other graphical information as well as preparing and staining a specimen on a slide, and setting up a microscope to view specimens. To support their identification of the causative agents of infection and the diagnosis of fungal and parasitic diseases presented in the examination, students briefly explain and justify by reference to the features that differentiate these from other organisms in the spaces provided on the answer sheet. Diagrams and bullet points are acceptable as explanations.

Match between objectives/learning outcomes and criteria for the task

objectives / task-specific criteria
On completion of the unit, you should: / On completion of this task, you should:
1. Demonstrate and apply:
  • laboratory skills (detection, isolation, drawing and identification) for the diagnosis of these diseases
  • knowledge of the fungal and parasitic disease processes in humans, their pathology, and implications for patient health
/ 1. Demonstrate and apply:
  • laboratory skills (detection, isolation, drawing and identification) for the diagnosis of the selected fungal and parasitic disease-causing organisms
  • knowledge of the selected organisms using live cultures, clinical isolates and prepared specimens

2. Analyse and interpret clinical situations to propose hypotheses that determine the strategy for data gathering. / 2. Analyse and interpret clinical material, data and information to identify the causative agents of infection
3. Justify the diagnosis of fungal and parasitic diseases / 3. Justify the diagnosis of fungal and parasitic diseases from the selected specimens presented in the prac exam

Interpreting the criteria sheet

Note that this criteria sheet uses some descriptors across standards. For example, the first descriptors for criterion 1 (which is about the demonstrating and applying knowledge) apply to standards HD(High Distinction) and DN(Distinction) because this is what Louise and Deb typically see in student work and what they expect of students who reach these two standards. This means that descriptors that only apply to a standard HD (and not also to a DN) are what distinguish a standard HD from a DN. The descriptors for the other two criteria are what is different between the two standards allowing a judgment to be made whether the work merits a grade of HD or DN.This way of setting out standards can help you avoid ‘contriving’ a difference between the standards when, in some instances, there is no difference.

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LSB647 Diagnostic Microbiology Practical exam – testing diagnostic laboratory skills 20% of unit
criterion / HD (High Distinction) / DN (Distinction) / CR (Credit) / PP (Pass) / NN (Fail)
In your practical exam, you have demonstrated and applied: / In your practical exam, you have demonstrated and applied: / In your practical exam, you have demonstrated and applied: / In your practical exam, you have:
1. Demonstrate and apply:
  • laboratory skills (detection, isolation, drawing and identification) for the diagnosis of the selected fungal and parasitic disease-causing organisms
  • knowledge of the selected organisms using live cultures, clinical isolates and prepared specimens
/
  • proficient laboratory skills and comprehensive knowledge by:
/
  • laboratory skills and knowledge by:
/
  • demonstrated laboratory skills and knowledge by:

preparing, on a slide, a thin sample comprised of a number of organisms sufficient to be observed quickly and easily / preparing, on a slide, a thin sample comprised of a number of organisms sufficient to be observed quickly and easily, and over or under-staining the slide
OR / preparing, on a slide, a sample (either too thick or too thin) that may or may not show the required number of organisms / put a sample on a slide that may or may not be stained or show the organism
staining the slide (neither over or under stained) to show the features that will lead to identification / preparing, on a slide, a sample (either too thick or too thin) that does not show the required number of organisms, and staining the slide (neither over or under-stained) to show the features that will lead to identification / staining the slide
setting up microscopes to suit the nature of the samples (own preparation and pre-prepared slides) to illuminate and magnify the features that will lead to identification of the:
organisms
sample type (e.g. blood, faecal, tissue)
stain type and quality / setting up microscopes to suit the nature of the samples (own preparation and pre-prepared slides) to partiallyilluminate and/or magnify the features that will lead to identification of the:
organisms
sample type (e.g. blood, faecal, tissue)
stain type and quality / setting up microscopes to illuminate and magnify some features in your own preparation and in pre-prepared slides, that may lead to identification of the:
organisms
sample type (e.g. blood, faecal, tissue)
stain type and quality / used a microscope to view a prepared or own slide that may or may not lead to identification of the:
organisms
sample type (e.g. blood, faecal, tissue)
stain type and quality
accurately drawing whole organisms and correctly labelling the morphological features that assist in identification and distinguish them from other organisms / drawing whole organisms and correctly labelling most of the morphological features that assist in identification and distinguish them from other organisms / drawing whole organisms and correctly labelling some features that may assist in identification / drawn something observed under the microscope and may or may not label what you have seen
describing observations and culture characteristics in detail using scientific terminology / describing observations and culture characteristics using scientific terminology / describing observations and some culture characteristics in general terms / listed some culture characteristics in general terms
2. Analyse and interpret clinical material, data and information to identify the causative agents of infection / In your practical exam, you have analysed and interpreted clinical material, data and information to: / In your practical exam, you have analysed and interpreted clinical material, information and data to: / In your practical exam, you have analysed and interpreted clinical material, information and data to: / In your practical exam, you have analysed and interpreted clinical material, information and data to: / In your practical exam, you have:
  • correctly identify organisms, types of samples and methods of preparation (previously studied in the unit), in all of the samples, micrographs and other graphical information
/
  • correctly identify organisms, types of samples and methods of preparation (previously studied in the unit), in most of the samples, micrographs and other graphical information
/
  • correctly identify the organisms, types of samples and methods of preparation (previously studied in the unit), in at least half of the samples, micrographs and other graphical information
/
  • identified an ‘organism’ OR type of sample ORmethod of preparation, in the samples, micrographs and other graphical information

3. Justify the diagnosis of fungal and parasitic diseases from the selected specimens presented in the prac exam / In your practical exam, you have: / In your practical exam, you have: / In your practical exam, you have: / In your practical exam, you have: / In your practical exam, you have:
  • succinctly explained and justified the identification of the selected disease organisms, by reference to the features that differentiate these from other organisms
/
  • explained and justified the identification of the selected disease organisms, by reference to most of the features that differentiate these from other organisms
/
  • explained and justified the identification of the selected disease organisms, by reference to some of the features that differentiate these from other organisms
/
  • explained and justified the identification of the selected disease organisms, by reference to some features of their organisms
/
  • referred to some features of the ‘organisms’ you have observed

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