Microbio: Unknowns

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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So we just started doing our unknowns this week and Im a bit freaked out. I thought it would be kinda easy, but the first day I couldnt get my gram stain and microscope right... UGH. Yeah Im pretty sure mine is gram negative because it was pink, but I couldnt make out if they were rods or cocci.

Anyways, just wondering who else is starting unknowns and if we could share some tips and links to help us out.

My professor is counting this as our final so its reeeallly important. Also this girl in the nursing program told us that she found that the unknowns were more important than what she thought, now that shes in the program.

So I look forward to hearing form u guys.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Cardiac.

Its really exciting actually... like playing detective.:lol2:

Yeah, that's how we felt too. A lot of my classmates didn't like the labs until we did the unknowns.

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Specializes in MSN, FNP-BC.

Wohoo! I'm glad you got it figured out and things are going better for you! So you only have to figure out one unknown? Nice! We had to do 2, 1 gram pos and one gram neg.

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My professor had us work on our unknowns for a few weeks now. We started off doing a mini-unknown where we were able to work in a group of 4. We were given a test tube that contained 2 bacterial unknowns. We each streak plated on TSA. Then we did a gram stain and steaked on EMB + Mannitol agars. That sorta helped narrow the list down. We did a few more tests too. Our paper was worth around 30 points and she must've went point happy because she took a lot of my paper. I haven't had a chance to see it yet due to spring break. Pain in the butt because I have to write my unknown for the paper that's worth 100 points and it would've been useful to have the other paper here to see what I did wrong.

So yeah, my time for the next few days will be spent writing the unknown. I have an idea of what my bacteria is, but it's the technical writing that gets to me. We have to have everything cited and it's just a huge waste of time. I have an exam coming up and I need to do good on it, but it seems like all my focus will be on writing this paper.

Good luck with your unknown. I just pray I get a good grade because I sure could use the points.

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My professor had us work on our unknowns for a few weeks now. We started off doing a mini-unknown where we were able to work in a group of 4. We were given a test tube that contained 2 bacterial unknowns. We each streak plated on TSA. Then we did a gram stain and steaked on EMB + Mannitol agars. That sorta helped narrow the list down. We did a few more tests too. Our paper was worth around 30 points and she must've went point happy because she took a lot of my paper. I haven't had a chance to see it yet due to spring break. Pain in the butt because I have to write my unknown for the paper that's worth 100 points and it would've been useful to have the other paper here to see what I did wrong.

So yeah, my time for the next few days will be spent writing the unknown. I have an idea of what my bacteria is, but it's the technical writing that gets to me. We have to have everything cited and it's just a huge waste of time. I have an exam coming up and I need to do good on it, but it seems like all my focus will be on writing this paper.

Good luck with your unknown. I just pray I get a good grade because I sure could use the points.

we just started this week, we were given a sheet of paper "descriptive chart" all filled out for us. We are to identify our unknown with all the information to get us used to using the Bergey's manual and other rescourses. all the tests were completed and filled out we just have to match with info we know. Next we will be given our unknown, we will stain them and turn in that part if we stain it right we get 5pt extra credit if its wrong no points given or taken away and they will correct us so we don't stain wrong. After that each class will be dedicated to a different or series of tests toward finding out unknown, this part will be fun I am really looking forward to doing all of that. What I am not looking forward to doing is the scientific paper that goes along with it. We are also meant to keep a lab journal of everything and this will be worth 23 points of the 100 pts toward our grade. I am psyched we are getting started.

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Specializes in Intensive medical care.

We start our Unknowns next week but my lab instructor has been awesome and has given us loads on worksheets and info. do you have a list of bacteria to choose from? My instructor told us if you're sure it's gram neg, then go with a TSI agar next, it should help to differentiate between a lot of your choices, or at least let you know in what direction to go next. Please let us know how it goes, I'm nervous for my turn.:redpinkhe

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