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