Questions for candidates applying for MSF laboratory technicians’ positions

Name: ______

Date:______

Please be as specific/detailed as possible when answering the questionsbelow. Thank you in advance for this additional information.

Here is a list with essential skills that are often needed in MSF context, to a higher or less extent depending on the focus of the mission. Please describe your experiences in these techniques in detail.

1. Management

Including (non-exhaustive list):

-Training

-HR management (evaluations,managing difficult relationships, coaching, recruitment)

-Supply management (ordering, consumption calculation, stock management)

-Equipment maintenance and troubleshooting

-…

2. Quality assurance / quality control

QA/QM systems used

QC methodologies, including Levey-Jennings/Westgard rules, external QC/proficiency testing, any other systems

3. Haematology

Hb determination (colorimetric), WBC count (manual dilution and counting – counting chamber), manual blood differential, automated methods (please list instruments and tests)

4. Transfusion

Donor recruitment, donor screening including infectious disease testing, Blood grouping, cross-match, blood-bank management

5. Tuberculosis – pleasealsocomplete ‘Laboratoryskillsrelated to Tuberculosisdiagnosis’ at the end of thisform

AFB examinations (smearing, ZiehlNeelsen and fluorescent staining and microscopy, culture and drug sensitivity testing (please list method incl LJ, MGIT or any other), GeneXpert, Hain test, any other PCR)

6. Malaria

Microscopic smear examinations (thin film and thick film – Giemsa and or Field staining), species differentiation

RDT;Other methods, incl e.g. PCR

7. Stool Parasitology

List any experience, from rapid tests to microscopy and culture

8. Urine analysis

List any experience, from rapid tests to microscopy and culture

9. Bacteriology : CSF, Pleural... fluid examinations

Wet preparation: cell count

Differential count

Gram stain

Culture and antibiograms/ drug sensitivity testing

10. HIV-1 / AIDS

Diagnosis (rapid tests, ELISA, confirmation tests?)

CD4 determinations

Viral load

DNA PCR

Other methologies?

11. Outbreak investigation

Sample packaging and transport, any other experiences

Laboratoryskillsrelated to Tuberculosis diagnosis

Please answer the following questions by selecting Yes or No. Feel free to comment / give additional information,

  1. Specific questions related to TB microscopy and culture

Comments

Ziehl-Nielsen Microscopy
Other techniques for Mycobacteria microscopy:
-Bleach Concentration
-Auramine fluorescence
Quality Control / Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Mycobacterium culture
-Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ)
-MGIT
-Other (TLA, MODS...)
-The “associated” techniques: Mcfarland densitometry, Blood Agar plates, etc / Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Species confirmation:
-Niacin, Utrease, Nitrate Reductace, etc
-Chord formation (microscope)
-Dipsticks (Capillia)
-Other / Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Drug Sensitivity Test:
-MGIT SIRE
-LJ proportion method
-LJ concentration method
-Agar
-Other / Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Biosafety
Basic Rules
Lab setting
Cabinets
other / Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Management of STI’s using a syndromic approach / Yes / No
PMTCT if going to an HIV project / Yes / No
  1. Other lab tests
    Comments

PCR based tests
HAIN MTBDRplus
Other / Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
ELISA / Yes / No
Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) / Yes / No
CD4
FACSCount
FACSCAlibur
EPICSXL
Other / Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
Biochemistry
Spectrophotometer
other / Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No

Any addition or comments welcome: