Tips for Skill 24

This skill will require you to perform a reticulocyte count. Upon completion of this skill, you will be able to identify reticulocytes and obtain an accurate count during microscopic examination.

Tips for materials that need to be submitted:

• Copy of three patient records with manual reticulocyte counts

  • One of the three patients need to be feline

  • Indicate the number per thousand and indicate if they are aggregate or punctate

    • Remember that there is a difference here between canine and feline

  • Calculate the:

    • Observed percentage

    • Corrected reticulocyte percentage

      • You will need the patient's PCV to do this calculation

    • Absolute reticulocyte count if you cannot perform the corrected reticulocyte percentage

      • You will need the RBC count to do this calculation (this should be on your automated results)

• Three prepared blood smears

  • You must provide a video of you making your slides from start to finish, including staining. In addition to the video(s) you will need to submit a picture of each of your slides under the microscope showing some of the corresponding morphology you have noted as seen on your slides.

  • You should have used a supravital stain. Your kit that you were supplied with contains one

  • We recommend that you keep a slide for each patient that you send, in case the skill needs to be repeated

  • The slides need to be for the same patients you submitted the records with the reticulocyte counts for

  • One of the three patients need to be feline