Board Of Registry Research Articles

NCA and BOR consider new credentialing agency.

1. George A Fritsma, MS MT(ASCP) 1. is Clinical Laboratory Science Continuing Education Editor The National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel, Inc. (NCA) and the Board of Registry (BOR) of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) may unite to form a new credentialing agency. Patricia Ellinger, MSEd, Chair of the BOR Board of Governors, and Kathryn Doig, PhD, President of the NCA Board of Directors jointly announced the effort at the ASCLS Clinical Laboratory Educators' Conference, March 2, 2006 in San Antonio. By invitation, E. Blair Holladay, PhD, BOR Executive Director, addressed the NCA board at its regular meeting, November 4, 2005, leading to the development of a letter of intent signed December 12 at BOR headquarters by Drs Doig and Holladay and Ms Ellinger and by BOR Vice-chair Cynthia Johns and NCA Executive Director Sheila O'Neal. The non-binding letter opens the opportunity for consideration of a new agency. NCA was chartered in 1978 as a peer-review credentialing agency in response to concerns for pathologists' control of the clinical laboratory science (CLS) profession and has functioned as an independent agency sponsored by the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) and the Association of Genetic Technologists. Generalist certifications through NCA lead to the Clinical Laboratory Scientist [CLS (NCA)] and Clinical Laboratory Technician [CLT (NCA)] credentials. The BOR is an agency of ASCP and BOR generalist certifications are Medical Technologist [MT (ASCP)] and Medical Laboratory Technician [MLT (ASCP)]. There were 976 BOR MT examinees in the first half of 2005; NCA examined 521 CLS candidates in all of 2005. Conference attendees voiced enthusiastic approval.

Learning and utilization of generic skills by practitioners in the field of clinical laboratory science/medical technology.

To determine whether and to what extent generic skills that are learned by practitioners are used on their clinical laboratory science/medical technologist (CLS/MT) jobs; and to determine if there are any significant differences in learning and/or using these skills by practitioners who were CLS/MT vs. Other BA/BS degree majors. In the field (ITF) laboratory practitioners were surveyed as to whether or not they: 1) were CLS/MT program graduates; 2) utilized the following generic skills in their jobs: analytical reasoning, communication, computer use, data correlation, decision making, precision studies, problem solving, quality assessment, supervision, teaching, technical writing, troubleshooting, research and utilization review; 3) learned these skills as students or practitioners. Data were collected from 515 CLS/MT ITF participants who were part of an ongoing longitudinal study. Participants were asked if they were CLS/MT program graduates; whether they used the skills frequently, sometimes, rarely or never; and whether they initially learned the skills as students or developed them on the job (OTJ). Chi square analyses were performed to test for differences among groups. The response rate was 44%. Frequencies for using the skills were generally over 90% with three exceptions reported as rarely or never used by the majority of the respondents, and two exceptions reported as being approximately equally used or not used by the respondents. A sizable minority (23% to 45%) of the sample reported never learning six of the skills. Significant (p < 0.05) chi square results occurred between learning and utilizing the following skills: computer use, participation in research, problem solving, supervision, technical writing and utilization studies. Although a consistently higher proportion of the CLS/MT graduates reported learning the skills as students and Other BA/BS graduates reported learning them OTJ, no significant differences between these sub-groups were observed for either learning or using these skills. For this sample group, most generic skills learned as CLS/MT students and/or practitioners are applied to the ITF jobs and are generally congruent with what is being taught in CLS/MT programs. However, there are some notable exceptions.

ASCP Board of Registry’s 2001 Annual Survey of Medical Laboratory Science Programs

ASCP Board of Registry’s 2001 Annual Survey of Medical Laboratory Science Programs

ASCP Board of Registry’s 2000 Annual Survey of Medical Laboratory Science Programs

ASCP Board of Registry’s 2000 Annual Survey of Medical Laboratory Science Programs

ASCP Board of Registry’s 1999 Annual Survey of Medical Laboratory Science Programs

ASCP Board of Registry’s 1999 Annual Survey of Medical Laboratory Science Programs

Medical Technologist Core Job Tasks Still Reign

In 1993, the ASCP Board of Registry began a 10-year prospective study of the career patterns of 412 newly MT(ASCP)-certified persons. The Board examined the changes in core, advanced technical, and management job tasks of these MTs during their first 5 years of work. In the first year, the MTs did core tasks more frequently than advanced technical or management tasks. Five years later, they still did core tasks frequently and had acquired additional advanced technical and management tasks. The entry-level task mix of MTs was the same regardless of gender, ethnicity, job title, facility location, or degree.

Prevention of infection in the immunocompromised host

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc, is accredited as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This learner-paced study package is designated for 1.1 contact hours. APIC’s California nursing provider number is CEP 7146. This continuing medical laboratory education activity is recognized by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists as meeting the criteria for 1 CMLE credit hour. ASCP CMLE credit hours are acceptable to meet the continuing education requirements for the ASCP Board of Registry Continuing Competence Recognition Program. (See the instructions and examination at the end of the article.) Infectious diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Infectious complications are often predictable and may be preventable. This article is an overview of practical considerations in the care of immunocompromised patients. Recognizing the compromised host, identifying and correcting risk factors in advance, and reducing sources of infection all play a role in prevention. Topics were chosen to include the areas of care that differ from the immune competent patient, such as diet, pet therapy, handwashing, immunizations, augmentation of host resistance, prevention of pneumonia, and antibiotic prophylaxis. National practice guidelines are cited when possible; evidence-based literature review and experience are applied to situations lacking consensus statements. Treatment decisions are made in areas for which information is often incomplete. A systematic approach to care of the immunocompromised host, tailored to the individual patient’s needs, should reduce the risk of infection. (AJIC Am J Infect Control 1998;26:594-606)

ASCP Board of Registry’s 1994 Annual Survey of Laboratory Science Programs

ASCP Board of Registry’s 1994 Annual Survey of Laboratory Science Programs

Technologists Report Overall Job Satisfaction: 10-Year Retrospective Study Examines Career Patterns

In 1993, the Research and Development Committee of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists Board of Registry conducted a 10-year retrospective study of medical technologists to determine career progression after certification. Approximately 1,000 surveys were mailed to medical technologists who were certified by the Board of Registry in 1983. The committee assessed 417 usable surveys, representing a 42 % return, regarding the sample’s professional activities from 1983 to 1992. The committee evaluated a variety of activities with emphasis on patterns in salary levels; specialization; acquisition of additional certification, degrees, or both; promotion; and career changes. Overall, a positive portrait of the career patterns of medical technologists emerges with 75% of respondents remaining in the laboratory work force at the end of the 10-year period and more than 75% reporting their job satisfaction as moderate or high.

The Perceived Value of the Specialist Credential in Practice

The purpose of this two-part study was to determine the motivation for seeking specialist certification and the perceived impact of specialist certification in practice. First, all applicants (N = 702) sitting for a specialist examination in February 1989 were surveyed on their motivation for taking the examination. From the 493 responses by examination applicants (70%), the three most reported reasons for earning the specialist credential were to satisfy personal goals, enhance career mobility, and improve salary. A sample of 500 practitioners who earned a specialist certification offered by the Board of Registry were surveyed on the value of this credential in their current positions. Of the specialists who responded, 257 (51 %) reported that the specialty certification was an asset for career mobility, job enhancement, or advancement.

From the Board of Registry

From the Board of Registry

Manpower Needs in the Year 2000: Medical Technology Education

John Snyder, PhD, MT(ASCP)SH, is Dean and Professor at the School of Allied Health Sciences and Associate Dean at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Ind. His contributions to fostering medical laboratory education are many, and he is a much sought after lecturer. Dr Snyder serves as vice chairman of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists Board of Registry Board of Governors and was a member of the planning and program committees for the Colorado Springs III Conference. In addition to coauthoring the management textbook Administration and Supervision in Laboratory Medicine , he has published numerous articles, abstracts, and teaching materials.

1991 Annual Report From the Board of Registry

1991 Annual Report From the Board of Registry

1990 Annual Report From the Board of Registry

1990 Annual Report From the Board of Registry

ASCP Board of Registry to Certify Phlebotomists

ASCP Board of Registry to Certify Phlebotomists

1988 Annual Report From the Board of Registry

1988 Annual Report From the Board of Registry

From the Board of Registry

From the Board of Registry Get access Laboratory Medicine, Volume 19, Issue 8, 1 August 1988, Pages 481–482, https://doi.org/10.1093/labmed/19.8.481 Published: 01 August 1988

From the Board of Registry

From the Board of Registry

From the Board of Registry

Journal Article From the Board of Registry Get access Laboratory Medicine, Volume 18, Issue 10, 1 October 1987, Page 654, https://doi.org/10.1093/labmed/18.10.654 Published: 01 October 1987

Staff Burnout Among Medical Technologists

Staff burnout among health professionals could produce dangerous ramifications for all concerned. Although addressed in other professions, burnout among medical technologists has not been adequately researched. The major purpose of this study was to determine the burnout scores of hospitalbased medical technologists certified by the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP). An additional purpose was to determine if any significant relationships existed between burnout scores and four demographic factors: gender, number of years in the profession, job level, and the number of hospital beds in the work place. A demographic sheet and the Staff Burnout Scale for Health Professionals (SBS-HP) were mailed to 100 randomly selected ASCP-certified medical technologists. The resulting mean burnout score was higher than the scores obtained by the other groups of health professionals that had taken the SBSHP. No significant relationships were found between the demographic factors and the burnout scores.