Skills - Pracs

Question 1

Kidney dissection prac

Answer 1

Equipment and materials:

1x kidney
1x dissecting tray
1x scalpel
1x blunt probe
1x pair of scissors
1x pair of tweezers
2x sheets of A3 butcher paper
1x dropper
10 mL hydrogen peroxide

Risk Assessment
Raw meat

• Contamination of external environment possibly causing illness due to accidental consumption or infection to eye if made contact with
• Safely dispose of kidney wrapping in paper, wash hands after dissection, santise working bench and tools thoroughly.
• Avoid eating within the lab to avoid accidental consumption of toxic substances

Dissection instruments (scalpel, probe, and scissors)

• Lacerations: incorrect use of scalpels or scissors may cause cuts to handler or other observers. If the scalpel is dropped on the floor it could cut someone’s toes.
• Stab: the probe could stab a finger or other body part, causing bruises
• Keep all tools away from the bench edge, cut away from the body. Wear enclosed leather shoes. Only one person working on the kidney at a time.

Hydrogen peroxide used to reveal nephron structures

• Contact with hydrogen peroxide can cause hair bleaching, severe skin or eye burns
• If hydrogen peroxide comes into contact with skin, wash the affected area under running water immediately.
• Transfer hydrogen peroxide from its container to the specimen using a pipette to avoid skin contact with it and avoid splashing.
• Place hydrogen peroxide container away from the edge of the bench to prevent accidental spillage.

Discussion
* Validity: Yes - dissection of a kidney provided authentic results of kidney structure, although in execution the results were more obscure.
* Accuracy: Blunt scalpel - expected results were not achieved, as the kidney was not sliced in half fully. Despite this, a partial cross-section was achieved.
* Reliability: conducted simultaneously by multiple groups of students, and the same kidney structures were identified in the same locations
* Future considerations: equipment must be prepared and sharpened for cleaner cuts. This will allow for a more accurate cross section of the kidney.

Question 2

Eye dissection prac

Answer 2

Materials:

• 1x cow eyeball
• 1x probe
• 1x pair of scissors
• 1x pair of tweezers
• 1x dissecting tray
• 2x sheets of A3 newspaper

Risk Assessment:
Blunt dissection tools - scissors and probe

• Bluntness in the scissors or probe can necessitate the use of force in cutting the specimen. This increases the risk of accidentally cutting oneself, causing lacerations.
• Select the sharpest scissors, probe, or scalpel available. If instruments are blunt, do not hack at or saw the specimen, but use small, repeated cuts to start making an incision.

Bacteria in cow eyeball

• The cow eyeball may be contaminated with bacteria or substances that are harmful for human health. When accidentally ingested this can harm the human.
• Wear gloves while handling the specimen to prevent direct skin contact with the specimen. Dispose of newspaper, cutting board, and gloves in an antibacterial trash bag. Wash hands with soap after finishing the experiment.

Results:
Saw the cornea, aqueous and vitreous humour, but didn’t see the retina very well. The lens was slightly damaged during dissection.

Validity: yes
Reliability: yes lots of same
Accuracy: less
Future considerations: sharp tools
[Refer to other dissection results]