Reading Gram-stained Smears From Cultures (Online CE Course)

Continuing Education Credits

P.A.C.E.® Contact Hours (acceptable for AMT, ASCP, and state recertification): 1.5 hour(s) Approved through 2/28/2026

Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel Credit Hours - General (Microbiology/Mycology/Parasitology): 1.5 hour(s) Approved through 2/28/2026

Objectives

• Explain the importance of Gram-stained smears made from isolated colonies to the clinician.
• Discuss the procedure for examination of smears made from cultures - concerning Gram stain reaction, shape of the organism, and arrangement of the cells.
• Identify microorganisms as gram-positive or gram-negative and be able to describe their shape and cell arrangement.
• Demonstrate ability to interpret Gram-stained smears made from cultures of various body sites, and report these smears appropriately.

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Course Outline

• Introduction to Reading Gram-stained Culture Smears
• Culture, Isolation, and Identification of Microorganisms - Importance of the Gram Stain
• All of the following are part of the microorganism identification process, except for which of the following?
• True or False: A physician can use the information provided from a Gram-stained culture smear to help make a preliminary diagnosis and begin treatment...
• General Aspects of Gram-stained Smears From Culture
• Gram Stain
• Procedure: Preparation of a Gram-stained Smear From Culture
• Quality Control (QC)
• Gram Stain Quality Control (QC) Organisms
• Procedure: Examining the Smear
• Which of the following is true of the Gram stain procedure?
• Match each of the following Gram stain items/actions to the appropriate statement.
• Organism Shapes in Gram-stained Culture Smears
• Cocci and Rods
• Variations in the Shape of Cocci
• Variation in the Shape of Bacilli
• Gram-Negative Rods (GNRs)
• Which of the following terms can be used to describe cocci?
• True or False: Bacilli can have tapered or rounded ends.
• Arrangement of Organisms in Gram-stained Culture Smears
• Cellular Arrangement
• Single Cell Arrangement
• Pair Cell Arrangement
• Chain Cell Arrangement
• Tetrad Cell Arrangement
• Clusters of Gram-Positive Bacteria
• Yeast Cells
• When describing microorganisms seen on a Gram-stained smear, what do terms such as diplococci, tetrads, chains, and clusters describe?
• Gram Stain Characteristics and Organisms Expected From Common Body Sites
• Gram-positive Organisms Recovered From Culture
• Images: Gram-positive Cocci (GPC) Recovered From Culture
• Images: Gram-positive Rods (GPRs) Recovered From Culture
• Gram-negative Organisms Recovered From Culture
• Images: Gram-negative Organisms Recovered From Culture
• Match the Gram stain characteristic to the organism it best describes:
• Expected Pathogens From Common Body Sites/Specimens
• Expected Pathogens From Common Body Sites/Specimens, continued...
• Expected Pathogens From Common Body Sites/Specimens, continued...
• Reporting Gram-stained Culture Smears
• Gram-stained smears from Culture: Importance and Reporting
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting. Hint: This Gram stain was prepared on an aging culture. Focus on the organisms represented by the arrows.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• Select the correct choice for reporting.
• When performing a Gram stain from culture media, which of the following must always be reported for the organism?
• True or False: The type of culture medium used to recover an organism does not have an effect on cellular arrangement.
• Case Studies in Reading Gram-stained Smears From Cultures
• This organism was recovered from the sputum of a patient with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Which of the options below would be used to describe ...
• This organism is recovered from the blood culture of an immunocompromised patient. Which option below would be used to describe the Gram-stained smear...
• This organism is recovered from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a child who attends daycare, following a severe ear infection. Which of the options b...
• This organism is recovered from the cervical culture of a female of childbearing age. Which of the options below would be used to describe the Gram-st...
• This organism is recovered from the joint fluid of a 28-year-old patient. Which of the options below would be used to describe the Gram-stained smear?
• This organism is recovered from a wound culture. Which one of the options below would be used to describe the Gram-stained smear?
• References
• References

Additional Information

Level of Instruction: Basic

Intended Audience: Clinical laboratory science students, and medical technologists/technicians seeking review, cross-training, or continuing education opportunities. Also appropriate for medical students and pathology residents.

Course Description: This illustrated course covers the basics of reading Gram-stained smears from cultures, including interpretation of controls, reading, interpreting, and reporting Gram-stained culture smears. The course is illustrated with numerous images of actual culture Gram stains and contains many interactive quiz questions.

Author Credentials: This course was developed by Betty Smith MT (ASCP), Mary Ann Fiene, MSMT(ASCP), and Rukhsana Evans, MSMT(ASCP) and has been updated by Education Materials for Health Professionals, Inc.