Brenda K Hutson Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 So I think I recall something about "not posting a question on >1 site," but I think this Forum is followed much more often than QC, so sorry if I am going against the rules..... So in reviewing some new thermometer calibration records, I just noticed a paragraph at the bottom that my predecessor had written about acceptable results. Problem is, neither my Leads or my Predecessor remember anything about it.....nor have we been following it. But then I am not convinced it is an accurate statement but wanted to throw it out there before changing it. So we calibrate the new thermometer (or existing ones if it is for annual calibration) against a certified thermometer. So what the paragraph states for acceptability is: If there is a difference of + 1C, this is acceptable, but a correction is required. Affix a label to the thermometer indicating the correction factor. So the way I would interpret that (and as I said, the ones who have been here for many years longer than I cannot explain it) would be that if for example the new thermometer is 0.5C higher than the certified thermometer, a label must be affixed to the thermometer that lists the variation (i.e. +5C) and that everyday then when you take the temperature of that thermometer, you have to add 0.5C to whatever it is reading. I have never heard of that. My inclination is to say that if the thermometer being calibrated is < 1C of the certified thermometer, it is within an acceptable range....period. But if the above statement is correct (or a variation thereof), PLEASE let me know. Thanks so much, Brenda Hutson, MT(ASCP)SBB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyredone Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Our procedure says that + 1 degree is acceptable for blood bank. ANORRIS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbaker Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 We had the same correction factor when I came here and I had never heard of it either. Apparently, neither had most of the techs. There were little flags on all the thermometers, but no one seemed to know what they were for. We finally got to the procedure originator and the addition/subtraction thing is how it is supposed to work (according to our SOP) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda K Hutson Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 On 7/15/2016 at 3:57 PM, pbaker said: We had the same correction factor when I came here and I had never heard of it either. Apparently, neither had most of the techs. There were little flags on all the thermometers, but no one seemed to know what they were for. We finally got to the procedure originator and the addition/subtraction thing is how it is supposed to work (according to our SOP) Well, that is "according to our SOP" also (apparently, for quite a few years now); but the author (my predecessor) as well as the 2 Leads that have been here even longer, had never noticed that statement at the bottom of the page (so obviously, were also not following it). So we will now have a LOT of explaining to do!! I still am not sure which direction I will go.....I have been doing this for 34 years now and in multiple Institutions and do not recall ever having a correction factor. Oh...... What to do....what to do? Brenda Hutson, MT(ASCP)SBB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda K Hutson Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 Ok, I will answer my own Post (should have looked in Technical Manual in the 1st place). I think my predecessor just misinterpreted (or got the wording mixed up) what it said in the Technical Manual. Says 1C usually acceptable, but if >1C, have 3 options......return to distributer, have a correction factor, or discard. Ok, mystery solved.....Ugh.... Brenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabel Adams Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 On 7/18/2016 at 10:29 AM, Brenda Hutson said: Ok, I will answer my own Post (should have looked in Technical Manual in the 1st place). I think my predecessor just misinterpreted (or got the wording mixed up) what it said in the Technical Manual. Says 1C usually acceptable, but if >1C, have 3 options......return to distributer, have a correction factor, or discard. Ok, mystery solved.....Ugh.... Brenda I have a somewhat related question and would love your (and anyone else's) input. Do you have a good system for documenting annual thermometer calibration? We have a lot of thermometers and, over the year, some get moved or broken, so I am trying to find a good way to keep track of where they are and which are due and document their calibration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMcCord Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 I keep a notebook with calibration certificates in it. I also have a reminder on my on line calendar that comes up about 4 weeks before the calibration on that item expires. When I see the reminder(s), I order new thermometers. Ditto for the stop watch. Those things are not big budget items. Once they come, new thermometers go into service, old ones are removed and discarded, new certificate goes in notebook, old certificate goes into archive file. I decided a couple of years ago that I am too hard pressed for time to check calibrations on things like thermometers. Biomed has put my scale (for the Echo) and the tachometer on the list of things that their outside contractor checks yearly. My pipettes get sent out for calibration check - one of our evening techs is responsible for that, so all I have to do is check the certificate and file it in my notebook. When the inspector wants to see that stuff, it's all in one place. Prior to this, I had a simple spreadsheet with all of the thermometers on it, listed by serial number. Each year I used a fresh copy of it. Part of the thermometer ID was where it was at. If it got moved, I changed that info on the spreadsheet, so at least I could find them. If they failed the annual check, I would note that and indicate that they were removed from service on that document. Once removed from service, that one was removed from the spreadsheet and the replacement was added. Those went into my notebook. I make a note at the top of each item's calibration certificate the date it is placed into service and the date it is removed from service. I don't have a huge number of these types of things, so it works for me. If I had more, I think I'd add a 'permanent' spreadsheet for tracking everything that documented in service date, removal from service date, and anything else that seemed important - just adding new lines for new stuff to the bottom of the ever growing list. I'm trying to put as much of those kinds of documents as I can into MediaLab to make review/approval documentation easier. applejw, tkakin, John C. Staley and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojo808 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 I do almost exactly like AmcCord except I do not discard thermometers every year (but it's sounding really nice right now). I also have a spreadsheet with the serial numbers listed and the location (refrigerator/ freezer/ room temp .....) there is a column on the spreadsheet to answer if the calibration was acceptable or not. If the answer is no (>1C from the NIST) then a comment of "discarded" is added to that row. Our old SOP had instructions for correction factors that meant if the thermometer is 0.5 C higher (warmer) than the certified, a label must be affixed to the thermometer that lists the correction factor (- 0.5 C correction factor) which means you minus 0.5 C from that thermometer reading. I wouldn't waste my time with correction factors, all techs will not remember to use it, just discard it and purchase new ones, less headache for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exlimey Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 On 4/19/2019 at 8:30 AM, AMcCord said: Those things are not big budget items. Once they come, new thermometers go into service, old ones are removed and discarded, new certificate goes in notebook, old certificate goes into archive file. I decided a couple of years ago that I am too hard pressed for time to check calibrations on things like thermometers. Do you use liquid-in-glass thermometers ? If so, spirit (alcohol) or mercury ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMcCord Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 Liquid-in-glass, spirit only. We (the entire facility) got rid of mercury thermometers some years ago - safety hazard. Ensis01 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exlimey Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 4 hours ago, AMcCord said: Liquid-in-glass, spirit only. We (the entire facility) got rid of mercury thermometers some years ago - safety hazard. That's interesting. The last time I purchased spirit thermometers, we were unable to certify them (we didn't pony-up the extra $$$ for NIST-traceable versions). We had serious linearity issues between the ice-point and the working temperature. The mercury replacements had perfect linearity, but I understand the concern regarding mercury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMcCord Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 We purchase the NIST-traceable versions. Ensis01 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Saikin Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Don't the regs say that they must agree w NIST within 1C? Why would you correct if they meet that criteria? Years ago the regs were +/-2C for therms in freezers but now it is 1C. The only correction I have to do is for my NIST based on its annual calibration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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