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When a patient’s platelet count is low, the sample is assessed for platelet clumps to distinguish between thrombocytopenia and pseudothrombocytopenia. Microscopic examination of blood smear is the standard method for identifying platelet clumps at Diakonhjemmet Hospital AS, but the method is time-consuming and may be challenging due to artefacts. The purpose of this project was to evaluate if two alternative methods, direct microscopic examination of EDTA whole blood and buffy coat, were suitable for identification of platelet clumps. In addition, the samples were analyzed by Sysmex XE-5000 before and after removal of 10 uL buffycoat, to investigate if platelet and leukocyte parameters were influenced to an extent that supplementary analysis after removal would not be possible. We included 57 samples with platelet counts lower than 90 x 109/L. Microscopic examination of buffy coat had a sensitivity of 97 % when compared to blood smear. In addition, the method was time-saving and easier to perform. Direct microscopic examination of whole blood was the easiest method to perform and most time-saving. However, the sensitivity was 64 % when compared to blood smear, and detecting possible platelets clumps was challenging due to the amount of erythrocytes present. Based on this, we do not recommended whole blood as an alternative method for identifying platelet clumps. Furthermore, the results show that there was no statistically significant difference in platelet and leukocyte parameters before and after removal of buffy coat. In addition, the observed difference in percent was less than the analytical variation, which indicates that the differences are of no clinical significance. We conclude that buffy coat may be used as an alternative method to blood smear to identify platelet clumps.

Sustainability and environment are topics with increasing importance. We all have responsibility to make the way towards a more sustainable society shorter, and it also applies to medical laboratories. Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology (MBF) at Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Helse Bergen wanted to get an overview of knowledge and attitudes about waste management among the employees. In the project, an anonymous questionnaire was answered by 131 employees at MBF (response rate 39 %). The purpose of this mapping was to be able to use the results in the way forward towards a greener laboratory. The results show that cardboard and paper, soft and hard plastics are the most sorted, and in general it is perceived as easy to sort at the workplace. But there may be room for improvement, such as greater availability and better labeling of waste containers, and more training. Despite the positive attitude towards source sorting at the department, the study shows that the participants are willing to become even better.

Dental technology is a health profession that manufactures individualized dental prostheses. Production primarily takes place in privately run dental technology laboratories. The Bachelor's degree program and professional identity link to a scientific and craftsmanship tradition. The program organizes a period of 16 weeks internships undertaken at external workplaces. To obtain internships is challenging, specifically because the companies receive no compensation for lost production while supervising the students. This also hampers requirements of formal competence for teaching guidance in the industry. In 2014 lecturers from the program conducted interviews at former training businesses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the profession relevance of external business practices in the study program, and how the supervisors in the companies perceived their training responsibilities. The results indicate that external practical internships give students a real life experience in a daily professional practice that can't be imitated on the educational institution. Recruitment of potential labour is a clear motivating factor among dental companies for accepting student interns. The educational institute must continuously secure the relevance of the program, and the students' prerequisites to utilize external practices. Some mutuality in cost-benefit perspective stimulates the professional field.

Etter 2. verdenskrig har vitnebeskrivelser og fotografier dominert spredningen av kunnskap om holocaust. Bakgrunnen for artikkelen er utfordringer rundt formidling av disse hendelsene i vår tid. Innledningsvis poengteres viktigheten av å opprettholde formidling av holocaust. Teksten henter eksempler fra resepsjonsteori, og etterspør nye måter å fremme tilskuerens aktive engasjement. Den historiske bakgrunnen forklares. Gjennom en serie workshoper utprøves en fenomenologisk tilnærming gjennom tegning for å minnes ofre av holocaust. Tre eksempler fra workshopene viser ulike deltakeres tilnærming, samt mulige utfordringer. Resultater av workshopene, observasjoner og tilbakemeldinger diskuteres underveis. Artikkelen vil ta opp utfordringer ved prosjektet og mulige feilkilder man kan støte på. Observasjoner av og tilbakemeldinger fra deltakerne i workshopene ser ut til å bekrefte at en innpakket stein med et nummer fungerte forløsende for flertallet fra posisjonen som passiv betrakter til aktiv, etterforskende tegner. Nøkkelord: kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid, tegning, holocaust, deltakerbasert minnekultur, formidlingsmetoder, resepsjonsteori