ML 122 - Clinical Analysis II

Credit Hours: 3

This course involves the discussion of basic electrical concepts and safety, basic functional units of analytical instruments, pH calculations and buffer solutions, blood gas analysis, chloride analysis, spectroscopy, fluorometry, osmolality, calcium and phosphorus analysis.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

define the terms voltage, current, and resistance;
discuss the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance;
identify the physiological effects of various amperages passing through the human body;
recognize proper and improper immediate responses to situations involving electrical shock;
name and explain the functions of the basic units of analytical instruments;
calculate the pH of acid and base solutions;
explain the functioning of buffer systems;
calculate the bicarbonate concentration of a blood specimen using the Henderson- Hasselbalch buffer equation and measured values of pH and PCO2;
explain physical and chemical principles involved in the operation of the following lab instruments:
- blood gas analyzer;
- spectrophotometer;
- atomic absorption spectrophotometer;
- fluorometer; and
- osmometer.
discuss specimen precautions, clinical significance, and methods of analysis for the blood gas, chloride, serum osmolality, urine osmolality, calcium, and phosphorus determinations;
explain the mechanisms used by the body to maintain acid-base balance;
name the major acid-base disorders and explain how blood pH, PCO2, bicarbonate base excess and total CO2 values would be affected in those disorders;
discuss basic characteristics of light and the choice of a wavelength for a colorimetric determination;
define the terms of Beer’s Law and discuss the relationship between them; and
determine concentrations in a colorimetric determination by standard curve and by calculation.

Prerequisites: ML 112
Corequisites: ML 123
S (N)