Abbott i-STAT 1, System Manual

Page: 177 / 658

PROCEDURE FOR HANDLING CARTRIDGES
11
Art: 714373-00F Rev. Date: 17-Jan-11
11-1
PREPARATION FOR TESTING
Select the Cartridge
Select the appropriate cartridge for the test or tests required. While the cartridge
is not fragile, it should be handled as follows to avoid difficulty in filling and
Quality Check failures.
Room Temperature
A cartridge should not be removed from its protective pouch until it is at
room temperature (18-30 °C or 64-86 °F). For best results, the cartridge and
analyzer should be at the temperature of the room where they are to be used.
Condensation on a cold cartridge may prevent proper contact with the analyzer.
Allow a single cartridge to stand for 5 minutes and a box of cartridges for 1 hour
at room temperature before use. Use a cartridge immediately after removing
it from its protective pouch — prolonged exposure may cause a cartridge to
fail a Quality Check. If the pouch has been punctured, the cartridge should
not be used. Once cartridges have been brought to room temperature, they
should not be returned to the refrigerator. Cartridges may be stored at room
temperature for the time frame indicated on the cartridge box.
Contact Pads
Do not contaminate the contact pads with fingerprints or talc from gloves as
the analyzer may not be able to make proper contact with the cartridge.
Calibrant Pack
Do not apply pressure to the central area of the label as the calibrant pack inside
could burst prematurely.
Air Vent
Do not block the air vent as the sample will not flow to the fill mark and the
calibrant solution will not flow to the sensors.
Contamination
To avoid contaminating the analyzer do not use a cartridge on which blood or
any other fluid has spilled. Avoid filling cartridges on surfaces that may cause
the cartridge to pick up fibers, fluid or debris that may lodge in the analyzer.
EC8+
EC8+