Blind Samples/ Competency

[Lindsey01]

How is everyone navigating creating Blinds Samples for competency? I have found that doctoring a sample with a positive control makes the results too strong/predictable (ex. FMH, DAT, etc.). 

Any help is appreciated. 

[Bet'naSBB]

We use our CAP samples AFTER the results have been submitted and results have been received from CAP.

We just finished assigning a BUNCH of "Internal Assessments" and "Method Comparisons" using our first batch of CAPs that we'd already received our results for.  All these count as "blinds" for the staff.  Instead of making 1 tech do the whole survey, we give each assignee one sample to do and then compare their results with those expected by CAP.  works great!

For FMH, we get two CAP "TMCAF" surveys per year.  1/2 the staff does the first and the other 1/2 the second so everyone gets a blind for FMH.

[jshepherd]

Technically, any sample you don't know the answer to is "blind" to you, so any regular patient with no history can be used for a blind blood type for example. Yes, for DAT and FMH it's harder, but we typically use the CAP samples as Bet'naSBB said, rather than try to make up samples that are not quite right.  

[BankerGirl]

1 hour ago, Bet'naSBB said:

We use our CAP samples AFTER the results have been submitted and results have been received from CAP.

We just finished assigning a BUNCH of "Internal Assessments" and "Method Comparisons" using our first batch of CAPs that we'd already received our results for.  All these count as "blinds" for the staff.  Instead of making 1 tech do the whole survey, we give each assignee one sample to do and then compare their results with those expected by CAP.  works great!

For FMH, we get two CAP "TMCAF" surveys per year.  1/2 the staff does the first and the other 1/2 the second so everyone gets a blind for FMH.

We do the same.  In the past I tried to doctor samples for ABIDs, and they were either non-reactive or 4+ at immediate spin.