6.1 Routine

The Pathology Laboratory is situated in the St Catherine’s Building.

6.2 Urgent/ Emergency Examinations

The laboratory is available at all times for urgent examinations. The Medical Scientist on-call is contacted at extension 8040 when on site and via hospital reception when not on site.  (Outside of working hours urgent samples should be forwarded to the Laboratory and notification given to hospital reception at (01) 283 2222).

            6.2.1 Biochemistry Urgent/ On Call Tests

            ·         Albumin

            ·         ALP

            ·         ALT

            ·         AST

            ·         Amylase

            ·         Bilirubin Total

            ·         Bone profile

            ·         Calcium

            ·         Chloride

            ·         CRP

            ·         Creatinine

            ·         CK

            ·         Creatinine Clearance

            ·         Full Biochemical Profile

            ·         Free T4

            ·         GGT

            ·         Glucose

            ·         LDH

            ·         Lipid profile

            ·         Liver Profile

            ·         Magnesium

            ·         Potassium

            ·         Renal Panel

            ·         Sodium

            ·         Total Protein

            ·         TSH

            ·         Urea

            ·         Uric acid

            ·         hsTroponin

            ·         CSF: Glucose and Protein

            ·         Osmolality: Serum/plasma  and urine 

            ·         Gentamicin & Vancomycin (processed in house)

            ·         Digoxin and Lithium samples are sent to the relevant referral laboratory

            6.2.2 Blood Transfusion Urgent/ On Call Tests

            ·         Group and Screen

            ·         Crossmatch

            ·         Antibody investigations

            ·         Antigen typing

            ·         Transfusion reaction investigation

            ·         Direct antiglobulin test

            ·         Blood products:

                o   Red cells

                o   Fibrinogen

                o   Albumin

                o   Novo 7

                o   Platelets

                o   LG plasma

            6.2.3 Haematology Urgent/ On Call Tests

            ·         FBC

            ·         ESR

            ·         Coagulation screen

            ·         INR

            ·         APTT

            ·         Fibrinogen

            ·         D Dimer

            ·         Infectious mononucleosis test

            ·         Malaria

6.2.4 Microbiology Urgent/ On Call Tests

No on call service exists. In cases of emergency only the following samples will be sent to the BRC laboratory and forwarded to SJH by on call staff for processing.

• Blood cultures received on call will be loaded onto the blood culture analyser.
•        CSF Glucose and Protein are performed in Blackrock Clinic Biochemistry Department.
•        CSF Culture, Cell count and Gram stain are sent to St. James Microbiology
•        Fluids/Tissues- Any urgent fluid or tissue requested by telephone by Medical Staff.
•        Urgent samples are referred to St. James Microbiology out of hours.

6.2.5 Histology/ Cytology Urgent/ On Call Tests

No on call service exists. However, if a specimen requires the attention of histology

staff, the following procedure must be followed:

The on call medical scientist will contact a senior member of the histology

department and outline the nature of the request.

Histology staff, in conjunction with the consultant pathologist, will decide if it is

necessary to do the test out of hours. 

            The following samples require histology staff to be contacted:

•           Fresh tissue for Histology (not C/S)
•           Specimens for frozen section
•           Any specimen that a consultant requires to be processed urgently