The Lab Interpretation Course for Nurse Practitioners

Trusted by 1,000+ across North America

Build confidence in lab interpretation with a step-by-step, evidence-based approach — designed for NPs, open to all healthcare providers

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Meet the creators

  • Aliya Hajee

    Nurse Practitioner
    Course Creator & Instructor

  • Claudia Mariano

    Nurse Practitioner - Retired
    Expert Reviewer

  • Alix Consorti

    Nurse Practitioner
    Expert Reviewer

  • Kathryn Flanigan

    Nurse Practitioner
    Expert Reviewer

  • Dr. Ziad Solh

    Hematologist
    Expert Reviewer - Module 2

  • Dr. Supriya Joshi

    Hepatologist & Gastroenterologist
    Expert Reviewer - Module 3 & 5

  • Dr. Daniel Schwartz

    Nephrologist
    Expert Reviewer - Module 4

  • Dr. Akshay Jain

    Endocrinologist
    Expert Reviewer - Module 6 & 7

We’ve got you covered

  • Developed by NPs in collaboration with leading clinical experts

  • Built for primary care with real-world relevance

  • Evidence-based, step-by-step lab interpretation guidance

  • Self-paced, on-demand online modules with lifetime access

  • Community forum to ask questions and share insights with peers

Course overview

  • Interpreting labs can feel overwhelming. Results aren’t always clear, numbers alone don’t tell the story, and next steps aren’t always obvious.

    This is the first lab interpretation course designed for Canadian NPs, developed by NPs in collaboration with leading experts across the country. It incorporates Canadian, U.S., and international guidelines, making it highly relevant to NPs and other healthcare providers across a variety of practice settings who want to build or refresh their lab interpretation skills.

    The course focuses on interpreting labs for non-pregnant adults in a way that is practical, evidence-based, and clinically relevant. You’ll gain step-by-step guidance rooted in clinical reasoning, helping you interpret labs with clarity and confidence while making informed, patient-centred decisions in everyday practice.

    By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

    • Apply a structured approach to interpreting lab tests

    • Recognize normal and abnormal results in clinical context

    • Identify critical findings that require urgent action or referral

    • Select appropriate follow-up investigations

    • Integrate lab results into clinical reasoning and management

    This self-paced online course includes lifetime access with no subscription required. You’ll receive 7+ hours of recorded content and 200+ pages of evidence-based material.

    Scroll down to explore each section for a high-level overview of the topics covered in this course.

    • When and why to order labs

    • Key factors to consider before ordering

    • Reference ranges and test accuracy

    • Understanding trends over time

    • Recognizing critical values

    • A structured approach to interpretation

    • Stepwise approach to red cells, white cells, and platelets

    • CBC components

    • Peripheral blood smear

    • RBC abnormalities:

      • Anemia

        • Microcytic anemia

        • Normocytic anemia

        • Macrocytic anemia

      • Polycythemia

    • WBC abnormalities:

      • Neutropenia

      • Lymphocytopenia

      • Neutrophilia

      • Lymphocytosis

      • Eosinophilia

    • Platelet abnormalities:

      • Thrombocytopenia

      • Thrombocytosis

    • Stepwise approach to iron studies and common deficiencies

    • Iron studies:

      • Ferritin

      • TIBC

      • TSAT

      • Serum iron

    • Recognizing common patterns

    • Iron deficiency anemia vs. anemia of chronic disease vs. iron overload

    • Vitamin B12 deficiency

    • Vitamin D deficiency

    • Stepwise approach to kidney function tests and common electrolyte abnormalities

    • Kidney function:

      • eGFR

      • Creatinine

      • BUN

      • ACR

      • Urinalysis

    • AKI vs. CKD

    • Staging CKD

    • Electrolyte abnormalities:

      • Hyponatremia

      • Hypernatremia

      • Hypokalemia

      • Hyperkalemia

      • Hypercalcemia

    • Stepwise approach to liver function tests

    • Liver function tests:

      • ALT

      • AST

      • ALP

      • GGT

      • Bilirubin

      • Albumin

      • INR

    • Patterns of abnormal liver tests

      • Hepatocellular

      • Cholestatic

      • Isolated hyperbilirubinemia

      • Mixed

      • Synthetic abnormalities

    • Hep B

    • Hep C

    • MASLD

    • Stepwise approach to hormonal and reproductive tests

    • Thyroid function

      • TSH

      • Free T4

      • Free T3

      • Anti-TPO

      • Anti-TG

      • TRAb/TSI

      • Hypothyroidism

      • Hyperthyroidism

    • Female hormone tests

      • FSH

      • LH

      • E2

      • Progesterone

      • Prolactin

      • Total testosterone

      • DHEAS

      • Androstenedione

      • AMH

    • Amenorrhea and irregular cycles

    • PCOS

    • Perimenopause and menopause

    • Infertility

    • Male hormone tests

      • Total testosterone

      • Free testosterone

      • SHBG

      • FSH

      • LH

      • Prolactin

      • SHBG

    • Low testosterone

    • Adrenal Insufficiency

      • Cortisol

      • ACTH

    • Diabetes

      • Fasting glucose

      • HbA1c

      • OGTT

      • Random glucose

      • C-peptide

      • Diabetes autoantibodies

      • Differentiating between type 1 vs type 2

    • Lipid and related screening

      • Lipid panel

      • Apo B

      • Lipoprotein(a)

    • Cardiovascular risk assessment

    • Metabolic syndrome

    • Stepwise approach to elevated CK

    • Stepwise approach to inflammatory markers

    • Elevated ESR

    • Elevated CRP

    • Positive RF

    • Positive Anti-CCP

    • Positive ANA

    • Positive Anti-dsDNA

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Reviewed by NPs

  • “This course is valuable for both new and experienced NPs. The content is comprehensive, well-organized, and directly relevant to clinical practice. It really helps build confidence with lab interpretation—something that’s so important but often under-taught. I would highly recommend it to any NP looking to strengthen these skills.”

    Alix Consorti, MN, BScN, NP-PHC, MSCP

  • “This lab interpretation course is an outstanding resource for NPs looking to strengthen their diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making. It offers a much more thorough and practical approach to interpreting lab results in everyday practice. This level of lab interpretation isn’t always taught in our training, and this course helps fill that gap.”

    Claudia Mariano, MSc, BScN, PHCNP

  • “This course is an excellent review for both NP learners and experienced clinicians. It walks through why certain labs are ordered, what conditions might be causing abnormal results, and how to interpret that. The self-paced format makes it easy to access when needed. I highly recommend it!”

    Kathryn Flanigan, MN, BScN, NP-PHC

  • Ready to feel confident interpreting labs?

    Join a community building confidence in lab interpretation.

    Learn through a fully online, self-paced course you can start anytime
    Watch 7+ hours of video lessons led by NPs in collaboration with experts
    Access 200+ pages of evidence-based materials you can use right away in practice
    Connect with peers in a private discussion space for support and collaboration
    Study anywhere — on desktop, mobile, or through our app for easy access
    Enjoy lifetime access with a one-time payment — no subscriptions required

Testimonials

Registration is open

Join 1,000+ building confidence in lab interpretation.

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 FAQs

  • This course is fully online, self-paced, and on-demand, so you can begin whenever it feels right for you and move through the content at your own pace.

  • Yes — once you finish the course, you’ll be able to request a certificate of completion to recognize your learning.

  • The course is designed to be practical across North America. It draws on both Canadian and U.S. guidelines, with lab values shown in metric units and imperial units included for reference.

  • Accreditation is currently under consideration. If the course becomes accredited, we’ll let all participants know right away.

  • Yes — while most participants are in North America, healthcare professionals from anywhere in the world are welcome to join.

  • Not at all. While the course was created with nurse practitioners in mind, we also warmly welcome physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, registered practical nurses, pharmacists, midwives, naturopaths, dietitians, and others interested in strengthening their lab interpretation skills.