Quality in every drop: A national survey on calibration, control, and training in the use of pipettes in Norwegian medical laboratories

Quality in every drop: A national survey on calibration, control, and training in the use of pipettes in Norwegian medical laboratories Introduction: Good practices for calibration, control, and training in pipette use are essential to reduce uncertainty in pipetting. The purpose of this study was to map how Norwegian medical laboratories ensure the quality of their pipettes. Materials and Methods: In January 2023, the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology at Haukeland University Hospital, in collaboration with Noklus, conducted a national survey on pipette practices. The survey was distributed to 177 contacts at medical laboratories. Results: A total of 132 responses were received, of which 20 were excluded due to incomplete answers (yielding a response rate of 63%). Of the respondents, 84% reported regular calibration of pipettes. Among these, 36% perform internal calibration. Few of those who calibrate internally comply with all requirements in NS-EN ISO 8655 parts 2 and 6. Slightly more than half (about 59%) had established internal control procedures for pipettes. The most common approach is control with three volumes and ten measurements. Acceptance limits are mainly based on NS-EN ISO 8655. About half of the respondents stated that all employees receive training in pipette use. Conclusion: The study shows that Norwegian laboratories have varying practices for quality assurance of pipettes. Lack of compliance with international standards in internal pipette calibration and inconsistent training can weaken the quality of both pipettes and pipetting. Improved training and standardized internal calibration are necessary to ensure accurate pipetting and high analytical quality.