CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

26
ESSENTIALS OF CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE
Basic nomenclature for the two major levels of technical personnel of the
laboratory differs, based on which accrediting body or registry is being used.
MLTs registered in one agency may be known as CLTs in another. The same is
true for MTs; they will be called CLSs by one agency and medical technologists
by other accrediting agencies. There is also a blurring of the edges between duties
performed by the two basic levels of personnel, and the job tasks depend on the
clinical facility and its interpretation of personnel standards. Some states even
license laboratorians and mandate what each category can or cannot do in the
way of producing laboratory reports. Still other states have few or no regulations
regarding the practice of laboratory personnel. This has resulted in years of competition
between “registering” authorities and their own interpretation of laws
and provisions.
Some laboratory tasks are physical and have certain essential tasks to perform
that may hinder or keep some people with physical or mental disabilities
from achieving a position in the laboratory. Accuracy is vital, and the ability to
concentrate for long periods and to pay attention to detail is a must. The work
may be stressful, and the ability to organize the work flow and to prioritize the
tasks is essential. The laboratorian must also maintain a professional decorum
as it is important for work with other health care professionals as well as with
patients and family members. Few members of the public are aware of the hierarchy
of workers, such as technicians and technologists, within the laboratory,
or even of the existence of such a program of study. Even among health care
workers, there is little knowledge of the extent of education and training the
laboratory workers acquire. For this reason, is important that all laboratory
workers be ambassadors for the profession.
Review Questions
1. Name several locations where personnel may perform laboratory procedures.
Not all who perform laboratory procedures will be clinical laboratory
technicians and technologists.
2. Name the four general departments in the clinical laboratory.
3. What level of laboratory worker is required to supervise a department?
4. What are some attributes a medical laboratory technician or technologist
must possess in order to be effective in the workplace?
5. What are some of the reasons that there is no consistency in the credentialing
of laboratory workers?
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