Reading and Reporting Direct Smears

Overall Procedure

  1. View control smears under oil immersion. If the control smears stained correctly, read the remainder of the smears.
  2. Look at the direct smear macroscopically to locate the stained area.
  3. Examine the direct smear under oil immersion and find an area that is properly decolorized.
  4. Examine at least ten fields in an area that is properly decolorized.
    • Identify the following nonbacterial cell types: epithelial cells, white blood cells, red blood cells, yeast and hyphae.
    • Look for microorganisms and record their characteristics.
    • Quantitate each type of element found and record on the work card.
  5. Interpret the direct smear result.
  6. Report the direct smear finding.

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