CPD: The Automated and Manual Blood Count – The Blood Count and Film Manual

1. Introduction to Blood Count and Its Importance: Understand the significance of blood counts in clinical practice, including their role in screening, monitoring medication effects, and diagnosing conditions such as anaemia.

2. Blood Constituents and Reference Ranges: Learn about the different components of blood, including red cells, white cells, and platelets, as well as the importance of reference ranges in interpreting blood count results.

3. Automated Blood Count Methods: Explore the principles and methods commonly used by automated analysers, including electrical impedance (Coulter Principle), light scatter technology, and radiofrequency analysis, to produce accurate and efficient blood count results.

4. Understanding Blood Count Reports: Gain insights into interpreting blood count reports, including the significance of red cell indices, platelet counts, and white cell differential counts, as well as how to identify abnormalities.

5. 3-Part vs. 5-Part Analysers: Examine the differences between 3-part and 5-part analysers, focusing on their capabilities in differentiating various types of white cells and their applications in clinical settings.

6. Advanced Analytical Parameters: Delve into advanced parameters reported by modern analysers, such as reticulocyte counts, immature granulocytes, and nucleated red cells, and their clinical significance.

7. Manual Blood Count Methods: Understand the historical and contemporary methods of manual blood count enumeration, including the use of hemocytometers and specific stains for identifying cell types like reticulocytes and Heinz bodies.

8. Pathological States and Histogram Analysis: Learn how changes in red cell and white cell histograms reflect pathological conditions such as microcytosis, macrocytosis, and leukocytosis, and how these changes are used in diagnosis.

9. Interference and Error Correction in Blood Counts: Discuss common sources of error in automated blood counts, such as sample turbidity and cold agglutinins, and the techniques used to correct these errors to ensure accurate results.

10. Practical Applications of Manual Counting: Explore the practical applications of manual blood counting methods in modern laboratories, particularly in verifying automated results, performing parasite counts, and supporting research.

We will use video tutorials with English captions and an end-of-course assessment that awards a certificate upon successful completion.

It is estimated this course will take you 1-2 hours to complete.

The target audience for this course are:

• Biomedical scientists/medical laboratory scientists
• Haematology trainees and consultants
• Haematopathology trainees and specialists

Your course certificate will be available for download after successfully completing the course assessment. If you have difficulty downloading your certificate, please email admin@blood-academy.com for further assistance.

By accessing this website and participating in this course, you agree to the conditions outlined in our ‘Terms of Use’ and ‘Privacy Policy’ pages. We strongly recommend you review these pages.