First tour at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Amelie is 7 years old and under the management of the Rheumatology department. She has to have regular blood tests, so was very keen to see what happens to her blood samples.

The Tour

Amelie was a very competent trainee scientist and quickly learnt to book in samples and load them onto the analysers. She was even able to help sort out an issue when the coagulation analyser ran out of reagents. In no time, we were good to go and load the samples.

Amelie enjoyed using some of the lab's equipment, including loading and starting a large centrifuge, and demonstrated great skill with a multi-pipette. The ejecting of the pipette tips was especially exciting! She also had a go at doing some manual coagulation techniques.

She enjoyed seeing all the samples travelling around the biochemistry track, then had a go at a glucose test on a handheld POC meter before finishing the tour by looking at some blood cells under the microscope. Seeing Malaria and Microfilaria was a great attraction.

Amelie's mum had this to say about the tour:

I just want to say a big thank you. Amelie was buzzing when we left yesterday. She's not stopped talking about everything she got to experience. 

I couldn't believe how interactive and hands-on you made it for her. It was fantastic. You both showed so much passion when explaining all the different processes and machines. Amelie loved having Eleanor there, too. You were all so kind. 

I hope that Harvey's lab tour grows; it was really such a privilege to kick it off in Norwich. 
Thank you!

Rebecca Cozens,Eastern Pathology Alliance Training Manager, shared her thoughts on running the her first Harvey's Lab Tour:

"It was such a great start to the lab tours having Amelie and her mum visit. I am also grateful for the help and support from my sister Rachel (Chief Biomedical Scientist in Haematology) and my daughter Eleanor, who helped on the day.  

My thanks also go to Michelle Frost (Eastern Pathology Alliance Network Research Manager), Teresa Miles (Associate Nurse Director, Paediatrics), and the children's services at the hospital, whose support was instrumental in getting the tours off the ground.

It is such a rewarding experience to be part of this, and I look forward to many more"