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Biomedical subjects

Kathy Doig

Publications and source records attributed to Kathy Doig.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Factors contributing to the retention of clinical laboratory personnel.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors contributing to retention of clinical laboratory practitioners. DESIGN: A paper survey addressing retention was distributed to a potential of 4000 clinical laboratory professionals. SETTING: The survey was distributed to subjects by their laboratory manager to be completed at the worksite or home. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: 599 usable surveys were received from non-supervisory individuals employed in clinical laboratory science (CLS) for five years or more. INTERVENTIONS: Surveys were mailed to laboratory managers in March 2003 with directions to distribute to practitioners with five or more years of work experience. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentages of respondents agreeing and disagreeing with Lickert-type opinion items were determined. The means, ranges, and standard deviations were calculated for the number of hours of continuing education, years of experience, percentage of time spent on tasks, and years in the current job. The means for job satisfaction were calculated and compared statistically based on respondents' job function, satisfaction with salary, job independence, sense of appreciation, and responsibility for continuing education. Open-ended responses were tabulated and categorized. RESULTS: Committed practitioners believe their work is important and find it challenging. Those who are most satisfied with their jobs believe they make a good salary (p = 0.000), have work independence (p = 0.000), and feel that their work is appreciated (p = 0.000). Job satisfaction does not differ for CLTs vs. CLSs. Salaries comparable to nurses and appreciation from physicians, nurses, and hospital administrators are cited by respondents as the most important factors to retaining laboratory staff. CONCLUSION: Committed practitioners believe that salaries comparable to nurses are needed to improve retention of staff. Respondents said that being appreciated by hospital administrators, nurses, and physicians would also contribute to improved retention.

Career Choice↗
PubMed2005

Laboratory managers' views on attrition and retention of laboratory personnel.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to provide information on the current shortage of clinical laboratory employees and to identify strategies for retaining laboratory employees. DESIGN: A paper survey was distributed to 800 clinical laboratory managers. SETTING: The survey was sent to laboratory managers at their work sites. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: 190 usable surveys were returned for a response rate of 24%. INTERVENTIONS: Surveys were mailed in March 2003. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The number of CLTs and CLSs considered fully staffed at the laboratory managers' institutions, the numbers of CLTs and CLSs who left the institutions in a five-year period, and the reasons employees left were tabulated. The managers' responses to questions on the factors that they considered most important in retaining laboratory employees were tabulated and categorized. RESULTS: In this five-year period (1998-2002), 5% of employees left their jobs annually. Over 60% of laboratory employees who left did so in the first five years of practice. The top five reasons that employees left their jobs were: (1) new laboratory job, (2) moved/family obligations, (3) retirement, (4) left the field entirely, and (5) employee was fired. In the first year of practice, 15% of the employees who left were fired. Between one and five years of practice, 7.3% left because of the hours or shift, 6.7% left to pursue further education for a non-laboratory career, and 6.7% left the field entirely. In the group of employees who left between five and ten years, 13.5% left the field entirely and 5.2% left for sales or clinical trials positions. Over 40% of the employees with more than ten years of experience who left did so because of retirement. CONCLUSION: Most laboratory employees who left did so to take another laboratory position; however, reasons for leaving vary with years of experience. The number of laboratory employees leaving the profession exceeds the number of new graduates entering the profession making the retention of employees essential. Laboratory managers identified salary as the most important retention factor.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2002

CLS competencies expected at entry-level and beyond.

OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to assess educators', practitioners', and managers' perceptions of the future job expectations of clinical laboratory scientists (CLSs) and their opinions on the skills that are expected of CLSs at entry-level and with experience. DESIGN: Survey participants were given a list of 44 competencies related to clinical laboratory science (CLS) practice and were asked whether they would expect a graduate of a respected CLS program to perform each competency in one of three educational categories: the first year of practice, with three to five years of experience but no additional education, or with three to five years of experience plus additional education. The competencies were subclassified into one of four major management functions: laboratory operations, human resource management, financial operations, or communications/consultation. Surveys also included eight Lickert-type questions designed to assess the respondents' opinions on the future job expectations of CLS practitioners. PARTICIPANTS: The sample for the survey included 280 directors of CLS educational programs, 600 managers randomly selected from the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA) membership, and 600 practitioners randomly selected from the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) membership. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The percent of respondents selecting each educational category was tabulated and each competency was assigned to one educational category based onthe highest percent of respondents selecting that category. The means of the responses to the Lickert-type questions were calculated for all respondents and for each group of respondents (educators, managers, and practitioners). RESULTS: Response rates of 58% (educators), 28% (practitioners), and 39% (managers) were obtained. Of the 44 competencies in the survey, four were expected at career-entry, 17 were expected of CLS graduates with work experience but no additional education, and 23 were expected of CLS graduates with experience plus additional education. Competencies expected in the first year of practice were primarily scientific and technical. With three to five years of practice and no additional education, the expectations for practitioners were primarily in laboratory operations and communications/consultation areas. The majority of the human resource management and financial operations competencies were expected with three to five years of practice and additional education. All participants agreed that CLS staff-level practitioners need more management and administrative skills and that, in the future, CLS practitioners will spend less time performing laboratory tests and more time solving problems. CLS managers were more positive than CLS educators in response to statements asserting that CLT practitioners and non-certified personnel will have an increased role in the laboratory in the future. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that extensive laboratory operations and communication skills are expected of CLS graduates without any additional education beyond their CLS programs. CLS educators should adequately address those areas in the curriculum. Competence in other non-technical skills may not be expected without the benefit of post-baccalaureate education and in these areas, CLS programs can provide a foundation for future learning.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2002

An entry-level MS degree in clinical laboratory science: is it time?

OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to address the following questions: 1) Does the scope of practice of the clinical laboratory scientist require an entry-level master's (MS) degree? 2) How would a change to an entry-level MS degree in clinical laboratory science (CLS) affect educational programs, the practice field, and students? and 3) Based on this study, what recommendations can be made to CLS educators? DESIGN: Surveys were developed to assess the opinions of educators, managers, and practitioners on the need for an entry-level MS degree in CLS. Surveys were also sent to students to assess their interest in an entry-level MS degree and their perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of this type of program. Surveys sent to educators included questions addressing the effect of a change to an entry-level MS degree in CLS on enrollment and program viability. Managers were asked questions concerning job expectations and compensation for graduates with an entry-level MS degree and practitioners were asked about their interest in this type of program. PARTICIPANTS: The sample for the survey included 280 directors of National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) educational programs, 600 managers randomly selected from the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA) mailing list, 600 practitioners randomly selected from the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) mailing list, and 1400 CLS students selected by program directors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Educators, managers, and practitioners were asked to read 12 statements related to educational preparation for entry into CLS and indicate their level of agreement on a five point scale. Mean responses to these questions were compared for educators, managers, and practitioners, for educators in hospital-based and university-based programs, and for managers with BS and advanced degrees. Responses to demographic and other forced-choice type questions related to entry-level MS programs were counted and reported. RESULTS: Response rates of 58% (educators), 28% (practitioners), 39% (managers), and 40% (students) were obtained. Educators, managers, and practitioners all agreed that the scope of practice of CLS does not require an entry-level MS degree and that the MS degree is appropriate for those practitioners who wish to further their education. There were no major differences in educators', managers', and practitioners' responses to questions on the need for an MS in CLS. Students indicated that they would be interested in an entry-level MS program if the additional education would give them higher salaries and more job opportunities. Students who entered their CLS program with a baccalaureate (BS) degree were more interested in the entry-level MS option than students who entered with an associate degree or high school diploma. Managers indicated that they would not pay a graduate with an entry-level MS degree more than a graduate with a baccalaureate degree. CONCLUSION: There is currently no support for an overall change from the BS degree to the MS degree as the entry-level requirement for CLS practitioners. Entry-level MS programs in CLS may be attractive to students who already have BS degrees.

Data Collection↗