Microbiology Unknown Project

[arabmagic]

Can I just say UGGGGG?

We are 1/2 way through the project, and I *thought* I had mine identified. Well now it appears that one of mine was contaminated and I have to start all over!!!!!

A lot of people in my lab are already done! I, on the other hand, have to go to an extra lab this week to try & catch up! Not only that, when the instructor was writing various notes on the boards this last week (ie. if it's Gram - , do this.... Gram +, etc.) I didn't copy any of that down because I didn't think I'd need it!

If anyone knows of any good websites with flow charts or helpful tips, that would be great! I am going to sit down now and make notes from our lab book of the different tests & results, etc.

I just hope the rest of this week goes smoothly! I was SO disappointed after class this evening.

[Lajimolala, BSN, RN, NP]

I know that the semester or quarter is already over for the OP, but for anybody going into Micro, the best piece of advice that was given to me before I did my unknowns project is to only take a sample from ONE colony!! One of the girls in my lab group did not follow this protocol and got every single test result wrong!! Instead of taking a sample from one colony, she just swiped it across the PEA and MacConkey dishes. This is a big no-no because remember that your original culture is a mixed culture. Just because you grow them in a selective agar doesn't mean that they die, it just means that they don't grow well in that agar...you could easily pick them back up again and they'll grow in your broths and contaminate every test! Needless to say she had a horrific time with the project. Meanwhile, I had fun! LOL.