Practice levels and educational needs for clinical laboratory personnel.

Abstract

1. Susan J Beck, PhD CLS (NCA)[⇑][1] 1. is professor and director, Division of Clinical Laboratory Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC 2. Mary F Briden, MA CLS (NCA) 1. is director, Educational Programs and Partnerships, Rio Salado College, Tempe AZ 3. Paul L Epner, MEd MBA 1. is director, Healthcare Improvement Initiatives, Abbott, Abbott Park IL 1. Address for correspondence: Susan Beck PhD CLS (NCA), professor and director, Division of Clinical Laboratory Science, CB #7145, Bondurant Hall Suite 4100, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7145. (919) 966-3033, (919) 966-5200 (fax). sbeck{at}med.unc.edu. The following white paper was presented to the ASCLS House of Delegates on July 21, 2007. The white paper represents the work of an inter-agency task force commissioned by ASCLS to address issues related to the education and practice roles of clinical laboratory professionals. A white paper is an expository paper to initiate an awareness of an issue and/or to educate regarding the elements of an issue or problem. It does not include a statement of policy or infer action taken by the Society. The task force was chaired by Mary Briden, a past president of ASCLS. Other task force members were: Susan Beck, ASCLS (CLS educator); Bernie Bekken, ASCLS (immediate past president – ex-officio); Dana Duzan, ASCLS (manager); Paul Epner, industry (Abbott Diagnostics); Linda Fell, ASCP (educator); Frankie Harris-Lyne, ASCLS (CLT educator); Shirlyn McKenzie, ASCLS president (ex-officio); Susan Morris, ASCLS (manager); Bob Newberry, AMT (manager); Rick Panning, ASCLS (facilitator, manager); Elissa Passiment, ASCLS executive vice president (task force staff support); Dana Procsal, CLMA (CEO); Deb Rodahl, ASCLS (manager); and Randy Vandevander, ASCLS (manager). In July 2005, the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) Board of Directors commissioned a task force entitled “Practice Levels and Educational Needs for Clinical Laboratory Personnel”. This task force was asked to address issues raised in ongoing, unresolved discussions among laboratory professionals concerning the preparation of students for the current clinical laboratory environment. Laboratory managers expressed frustration with the discrepancy between the skills possessed by graduates of laboratory educational programs and the needs in… ABBREVIATIONS: AMT = American Medical Technologists; ASCLS = American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science; ASCP = American Society for Clinical Pathology; CLMA = Clinical Laboratory Management Association; DMAIC = Define, Measure, Analyze, Implement, and Control. [1]: #corresp-1