Reading Gram Stained Smears From Cultures (Online Course)

Betty Smith, MT(ASCP); Mary Ann Fiene, MSMT(ASCP); Rukhsana Evans, MSMT(ASCP)

This course explains how to intelligently evaluate and interpret gram stained smears from cultures. Good for clinical laboratory science students, cross training, and CE. Covers gram positive and gram negative bacilli; single, pair, chain, and tetrad cell arrangements; and reporting.

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Continuing Education Credits

• P.A.C.E.® Contact Hours: 1.5 hour(s)
• Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Science CE - General (Microbiology/Mycology/Parasitology): 1.5 hour(s)

Objectives

• Explain the importance of Gram stained smears from isolated colonies.
• Discuss the procedure for reading smears from cultures with respect to:
  • Gram stain reaction
  • Shape of the organism
  • Arrangement of cells
  • Technical errors
• Identify microorganisms as Gram positive or Gram negative and be able to describe their shape and cell arrangement.
• Be able to read smears from various cultures, and write an appropriate report for each.

Course Outline

Click on a link in the outline to view a sample page from this course.

• Introduction to Reading Gram Stained Culture Smears
• Culture, Isolation, and Identification of Microorganisms
• The process of microorganism identification includes: (Choose ALL of the correct answers)
• A physician can use the information from a culture smear report to help make a preliminary diagnosis and begin treatment.
• General Aspects of Gram Stained Culture Smears
• Gram Stain
• Macroscopic Appearance of Control Slides
• Microscopic Appearance of Control Slides
• Focus Power
• Cocci and Rods
• Variations in the Shape of Cocci
• Gram Negative Bacilli
• Variation in the shape of bacilli
• Variations in the Ends of Rods
• Cellular Arrangement
• Single Cell Arrangement
• Pair Cell Arrangement
• Chain Cell Arrangement
• Tetrad Cell Arrangement
• Clusters of Gram Positive Bacteria
• Yeast Cells
• Summary
• Select all the choices below than correctly describe this Gram stained smear.
• Select all the choices below than correctly describe this Gram stained smear.
• Select all the choices below than correctly describe this Gram stained smear.
• Select all the choices below than correctly describe this Gram stained smear.
• Select all the choices below than correctly describe this Gram stained smear.
• Select all the choices below than correctly describe this Gram stained smear.
• Select all the choices below than correctly describe this Gram stained smear.
• Which of the following terms can be used to describe cocci?
• Bacilli can have tapered or rounded ends.
• Reporting Gram Stained Culture Smears
• Culture Smears: Importance and Reporting
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choices for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• All of the following information should be included in a culture smear report EXCEPT:
• The type of culture medium has no effect on cellular arrangement.
• The bacteria on both the positive and the negative control slides are observed to stain pink. This finding will  not affect the re...
• Observations that can be of value to the microbiologist include:

Additional Information

Level of Instruction: Basic

Intended Audience: Clinical laboratory science students, and medical tehcnologists and technicians seeking review, cross training, or continuing education opportunities. It is also appropriate for medical students and pathology residents.

Course Description: This illustrated course cover the basics of reading gram stained smears from cultures, including interpretation of controls, reading, interpreting and reported gram stained culture smears. It is illustrated with numerous photomicrographs of actual culture gram stains, and contains numerous interactive quiz questions.

About the Course: This course is part of a series of courses adapted for the web by MediaLab Inc. under license from Educational Materials for Health Professionals Inc. Dayton OH, 45420. Copyright EMHP. It has been revised and updated for online use by MediaLab Inc.