Biomedical Science - Report Example

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE Introduction The purpose of the report is to know the role of biomedical laboratory research in National Health Service. Biomedical scientist does research on diseases and carries out screening of patients to discover disease. To understand the role of biomedical in diagnosis of diseases, screening of patients and monitoring conditions. Various disciplines within the biomedical science carry out various tests. The disciplines are anatomy, bacteriology, endocrinology, epidemiology, histology, immunology, mycology and parasitology. The paper explains the different qualifications to be biomedical practitioners in the National Health Service (Mantas, Ammenwerth, Demiris, Hasman, Haux, Hersh & Wright 2010). For a person to qualify as a biomedical scientist he or she, should, have good communication skills with patients and others biomedical scientist, have a competent skill in information technology. The role of biomedical science laboratory investigation in the NHS The biomedical scientists are registered practitioners, who work in the department of clinical pathology. They are scientifically qualified professionals who, for example, perform diagnostic tests on clinical samples of blood and urine. Given their role(s) biomedical scientist actively engage himself or herself with laboratory related work and rarely get in touch with the patients compared to other healthcare professions (Boshuizen & Schmidt 1992). Three-quarter of medical decisions or interventions made starting from diagnosis and monitoring medical treatments to screening populations at risk of a particular clinical condition- are based on the activities of the biomedical scientist in the laboratory. This may be simple as a preoperative blood test or something more complex, such as using an image-guided needle biopsy to remove tissue samples to help diagnose breast or prostate cancer. A 52-year-old, overweight smoker presents to his local Accident & Emergency department with chest pains, shortage of breath, and complained of generalized weakness and tiredness. It is apparent that he may be experiencing any one of a number of problems. These include, a panic attack, a chest infection, an allergic reaction, or he may be at early stage of heart attack. Biomedical professionalism is required in such scenario by helping in the decision-making processes. Routine test, such as measuring patient’s height, weight, temperature and blood pressure, as well as taking x-rays and performing detailed laboratory investigations on samples from a patient may all help provide answers. The laboratory study may include a blood test to look for an increased activity of enzymes or substrates that acts as makers of the heart attack. Microbiology test to identify the infection-causing microorganisms activity (Hollenberg 2006). The immunological tests may help eliminate the possibility of an allergic reaction. Biomedical scientists operate in healthcare and perform array tests in the laboratory and performing on test tissues and fluids in order to be of assistance to clinicians diagnose diseases. They also assess the proper remedy and its efficiency. There is professionalism highly required for various clinical departments, and their responsibility are broadly ranging. They may perhaps operate on the medical environment, which include chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, malaria, food poisoning or anaemia. The biomed scientist, still perform an emergency blood transfusion test either they can examine if someone had a heart attack. Biomedical scientists are capable of working in three fields, which are infection sciences; blood sciences; and cellular sciences (Boshuizen & Schmidt 1992). Infection science is divided into two major branches, which are Medical Microbiology and Virology. Medical microbiology is the as recognition of diseases causative microorganism and their respective antibiotic cure; while Virology is the recognition of viruses, its related diseases and keeps an eye on the effectiveness of vaccines. Blood science is divided into three sections, clinical chemistry that is the examination of fluids from the body. Toxicology studies, which are concerned with transfusion science that applies in the identifying of compatibility of blood in both donor, and making sure those blood banks, are enough. Haematology, which is concerned with blood form, functions, and the related diseases; and immunology, which concerned with understanding the immune system and the role it plays in combating disease. Cellular Sciences is categorized into histopathology, which is microscopic examination of diseased tissue samples. Cytology that involves best known for cervical smear screening; however, it also deals with other cellular analysis. Reproductive sciences are the examination of samples concerned with fertility issues. Quite a number of laboratories used by biomedical scientists are widely computerized and highly equipped with high levels of automation. Working activities vary according to the area of specialization typically including; testing of human samples such as blood, tissue and faecal material for an element such as enzymes and hormones. Studying cell cultures across the tissue samples and point out blood groups performing. Laboratory equipment of high technology like the sophisticated automated machinery and microscopes supporting is useful for reporting. The equipment is making sure that the needed turnaround times for reporting results are met wherever possible presenting the outcome of the test to medical staff. The results will be used in making a diagnosis and treat the patients illness. Information technology is used to record, analyse data and report writing to disclose results. The report will help the Biomed scientists to inquire the laboratory documents if it complies with standards and policies. However, some of the analytical work may be of a routine nature, a number of the tests are challenging and demanding. Modern pathology and biomedical work involve complex investigations, involving a keen eye for detail and the ability to give a quality service despite pressure from strict deadlines and a large number of works. The capability of working perfectly as part of a group leader is an important personal attribute quality for the role. The staffs should be time managers for success of the entire discipline. The key tests carried out by that laboratory and the overall purpose of these tests In biomedical laboratory, scientist carry out the urine test for investigation purposes. Urine is mixed with ethyl acetate in a glass. The mixture between the urine and the ethyl acetate is immiscible. The test is useful to the parents and the government to discover the use of illicit drugs by the young youths in the society. Fungal test is vital in the detecting and diagnosing of a fungal infection, to facilitate the treatment. A clinical examination of affected person and sample of the microscopic examination may be enough in determining the presence of the fungal infection; this applies to the various superficial skin and yeast infections. Always is not common to identify the particular organism. Depending on the choices on practical guidelines and experience, the doctor has a quiet a number of topical and oral antifungal remedy. For either persistence, deeper or systemic infections, various tests may be carried on for diagnosis and monitoring. Fungal test is used in the laboratory to discover fungal diseases and find its cure at an early stages. In identifying the particular fungi present, fungal cultures are used. Results may delay up to weeks because many fungi take time to grow. In determining the best antifungal to be employed in the treatment, Susceptibility testing is carried out on fungi isolated from a culture. To know if an individual in the past had a specific fungal infection, the appropriate test for fungal antigens and antibodies are performed. These are quicker as compared to fungal cultures except for only test for a particular fungal species, and the doctor should know what to test in fungal organism. Due to the previous exposure to the organism, a number of people develop fungal antibodies hence when tested for an infection, one antibody test could not possibly confirm in current infection are present. Occasionally, collection of blood samples, acute and convalescent, is necessary in a duration of 2 to 3 weeks apart and they are tested to determine if the antibody levels known as titters are changing; assessment of the outcome may take several weeks. In determining the fungi grown in culture and detecting a particular fungus directly in the sample collected, a Molecular test may be executed. Exercise physiology points on how an organism reacts to exercise (Hollenberg 2006). One of the biggest stresses an individual may encounter is exercise. Hence, it stands for an exceptional model for studying human and animal physiology. In a number of decades, ago, it has been discovered that study of exercise physiology as a clinical setting. From our understanding, this awareness has created on how exercise can be important in both treating and preventing of numerous diseases such as cardiovascular diseases that are associated with the heart diseases. Pulmonary diseases of the lungs and the heart, diabetes mellitus, and other types of cancers. The core purpose of this is to accomplish comparability of athlete testing results among different laboratories. Secondary aims to give greater confidence in exercise physiology services to the coaches and athletes. Several tests are performed on the professional athletes in order to determine their performance among them is VO2max. During maximal exercise, maximal oxygen consumption is the highest value recorded. Various objective criteria can be used post-test to determine whether the peak VO2 figures during the investigation can truly be seen as a maximal value. It has been thought that the suitable indicator of aerobic fitness is VO2max. Furthermore, It is a quite a good predictor of fortitude performance although there are other predictors of performance. For the athletes who are highly trained, have better endurance performance when the VO2max values are high. People neither with the highest VO2max values are the best runners nor vice versa (Geier, Kern, Garver, Adams, Audhya & Geier. 2009). Due to the genetically endowment, there are various literatures of exceptional athletes with the modest values in VO2max. Examples of the non-biomedical laboratory testing or investigation a patient may undergo as part of the diagnostic process. Some procedures are carried out in an investigator’s laboratory, which is not within the other an established clinical setting. Such as University Health Services, Clinical Research Centre, physician’s office, etc. The following are biomedical procedures that have been executed previously by non-medical personnel (Hollenberg 2006). When planning research the following categories are to be used as a guide for biomedical procedures: Vital tesr, Skin folds measures and waist measures. The dip urinalysis is the process of testing urine of a patient to discover diseases. Finger sticks easy to interpret and convenient to both the patient and the biomedical scientist. Dual X-rays Analysis diagnoses the patients’ bones. Bones are scanned to find out the mineral density (Duch, Groh & Allen 2001). The women should be scan at the age of 65years and men at the age of70 years. Quantitative Computed Tomography does the same function as the DXA. However, Quantitative Computed Tomography uses a special scanner known as the ISCD certification. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a measure of the heart recording. The researchers use the study to find out the abnormalities in the human and animals’ heart. Resting metabolic rate is the energy rate of biological mechanism. Screening urine, undertaking pregnancy test, Pulmonary function testing, non-diagnostic, Treadmill usage (population dependent). Exercise stress test according to current American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) standards, population dependent, Spirometer, non-diagnostic, electroencephalogram (EEG) undertakes pulmonary testing, non-diagnostic, Surface electromyography (EMG), non-diagnostic, Bio-impedance, Underwater weighing, Bod Pods and Metabolic Chamber. Some of the non-biomedical laboratory testing is Hyperparathyroidism and Biopsy (Hollenberg 2006). Hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia and low or inappropriately normal levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) characterize Hyperparathyroidism. Pseudohypoparathyroidism is characterized by similar findings, but PTH is eminent due to the resistance of PTH. PTH is the main calcium-regulating hormone, which is crucial for calcium homeostasis, vitamin D-dependent calcium absorption, renal calcium reabsorption, and renal phosphate clearance; it is secreted in the neck behind the thyroid gland where the four parathyroid glands are found, they also plays a role in bone metabolism. Serum phosphate levels rise when the levels of PTH goes low (Geier et al. 2009). Biopsy is a medical process where a sample of tissue is obtained from a patient, body for test and analysis of diseases or medical analysis. Biopsies are essential in the diagnosis of cancer. To consider the location of the tissue under investigation, many biopsy procedures are used. After the removal of tissue, it is normally placed in a preservative before being sent to a pathology laboratory where, it is sliced and placed in wax. After being sliced, they mount it and on a glass slide and stain with a number of dyes to make different types. Abnormal cells are identified, and the results are determined for the treatment of the diseases. The pathologist usually takes 24 hours to process the investigation before realising the results (Hollenberg 2006). Personal qualities required for a Biomedical Blood Science and Transfusion. The Biomedical Blood Science and Transfusion Centre in Warwickshire job reference no 448. The employer is TFS Healthcare Hospital in the city of London. The job offers salary of £32,000 - £34,000 per year. The hospital specializes in blood screening and offers other diagnostic services. The company over the past years has made a huge investment across the country. The suitable candidates should be a member of Health and Care Professions Council as per United Kingdom health standards. For more information call 0845 7 711 71. The link to the job is www.hclhealthcare.com/biomedicaljob. One should show passion in science and computing because biomedical field use the most sophisticated equipment. Computers enable the procedures to analyse human samples, and be of interest in the medical field. Computers assist in inventing new treatments to the infectious diseases hence having a creative and innovative thinking ability (Neufeld& Barrows 1974). The eligible candidate for the post should be able to work for long hours in the laboratory; this will depend on the complexity of the project. Some of the projects take a lot of time to be executed and the agency of the report of the project may lead to the long working hours. Have a skilful ability of accuracy and attention to detail; this will be a useful skill because is requirement to give an exact result of the test of the patient (Mantas et.al; 2010). One must be of high ethical standards to promote values like fairness, trust, good behaviour, kindness or trust. One should be accounted for, to the all the decision-making that they give, this is because any consequence that they may occur they will liable to it. Therefore, a biomedical scientist should be sure if the conclusion that he/she will make from the test are appropriate (Neufeld& Barrows 1974). For a Biomed, to qualify for the post, should be a complete enough to make rational decisions. Biomedical scientist should be a team builder being able to lead a research and developing a team. During the research test, different specialist are required in the field in order to accomplish the purpose of the research, and each biomedical scientist should be able to take part in the collective research and team development (Hollenberg, 2006). The Biomedical Blood Science and Transfusion Hospital would like a team leader person to achieve maximum satisfaction to the patients. Ability of having a strong verbal and written communication is essential to the biomedical scientist. The skill is required in analysing the test and making the deduction from the results made from the test. Communication skills are vital, as it is applicable when biomedical scientists are working as a team as they use complex scientific words while working in the field. In addition, verbal and written command may be of need in the recording of the test results interpret the data and to provide the report that you will share with your colleagues. Skilfulness in time management is very vital, as it is necessary, in order to meet the strict deadline of the project in the hospital. The appropriate candidates should be able to organize their workload using a using a prescribed manner (Neufeld& Barrows 1974). Conclusion Basing on the above discussion, it is found that biomedical scientist are important in the health industry as they carry out the investigation of the cause of the infection and finding proper medication against it. Also, its evident that biomedical scientist are important in the sports fraternity since athletes together with their coaches depend on their profession to improve their performance in the track (Duch, Groh & Allen 2001). In addition, one requires portraying some personal trait at the working place for maximum performance. References Boshuizen, H., & Schmidt, H. G. 1992. On the role of biomedical knowledge in clinical reasoning by experts, intermediates and novices. Cognitive science, 16(2), 153-184. Duch, B. J., Groh, S. E., & Allen, D. E. (Eds.). 2001. The power of problem-based learning: a practical" how to" for teaching undergraduate courses in any discipline. Stylus Publishing, LLC.. Geier, D. A., Kern, J. K., Garver, C. R., Adams, J. B., Audhya, T., & Geier, M. R. 2009. A prospective study of transsulfuration biomarkers in autistic disorders. Neurochemical research, 34(2), 386-393. Hollenberg, D. 2006. Uncharted ground: patterns of professional interaction among complementary/alternative and biomedical practitioners in integrative health care settings. Social Science & Medicine, 62(3), 731-744. Mantas, J., Ammenwerth, E., Demiris, G., Hasman, A., Haux, R., Hersh, W., ... & Wright, G. 2010.Recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) on education in biomedical and health informatics–1st revision. Methods of information in medicine, 49, 105-120. Read More