Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary Kyle B. Riding, ASCLS President 2025-26, emphasizes “community” as central to the Society’s mission. He highlights belonging as a source of acceptance, courage, and resilience, especially amid burnout and staffing shortages. He pledges to foster inclusivity, elevate diverse voices, and encourage engagement, ensuring ASCLS remains a true…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary Galina Dronova shares a personal story of overextending herself with extra work until it affected her wellbeing, teaching her the importance of recognizing limits. She offers practical advice for laboratory professionals: create balance, give yourself grace, delegate or say no, and invest in yourself. Advocating for personal…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary Darby Naheedy examines gaslighting in clinical laboratories, describing how subtle dismissal and manipulation erode confidence, morale, and psychological safety. Often unintentional, gaslighting undermines communication, isolates staff, and can harm patient care. Naheedy outlines warning signs, coping strategies, and the need for leadership to foster respectful, transparent environments—emphasizing…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary Jennylyn Capones explores how stress and negativity contribute to burnout among medical laboratory professionals and emphasizes the need to reset one’s mindset. She highlights workplace wellness resources such as mindfulness apps, counseling services, and resilience programs, while also stressing the importance of unplugging, taking time off, and…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary Heather Parks reflects on how a colleague used self-help books to overcome burnout and highlights resources that can support healthcare professionals. She reviews several titles, including Self-Care for Allied Health Professionals, Managing Stress, Atomic Habits, and The High Five Habit, alongside podcasts and apps. Parks encourages readers…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary A recent American Hospital Association study highlights alarming mental health struggles among healthcare workers, with high rates of stress, burnout, and anxiety, yet few accessing support. Kelcey Harper shares their personal journey of depression, burnout, and recovery, emphasizing the importance of seeking help. They urge workplaces to…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary Medical laboratory professionals face mental health challenges from understaffing, constant training, and complex scheduling. Marionette Yvonne Agatep-Cortez highlights resilience strategies such as improving workflow with technology, prioritizing self-care, practicing mindfulness, fostering teamwork, and adopting flexible scheduling. By addressing workload, stress, and staffing issues, labs can build supportive…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary Clinical laboratory professionals face unique stressors that impact mental health, from high-pressure accuracy demands to staffing shortages. Maria Sue Abiera highlights resilience as a skill built through emotional regulation, peer support, adaptability, and purpose. By fostering self-care, open dialogue, organizational support, and advocacy, medical laboratory teams can…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary A student-led project at McNeese State University used expired blood bank reagents to study their accuracy in blood typing, blending research with education. Results showed expired reagents were moderately reliable for ABO typing but unreliable for Rh typing. Beyond findings, students gained confidence, technical skills, and research…
Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025 Summary ASCLS President-Elect Stacey Robinson calls for building a “learning organization” around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Using a systems approach, she emphasizes systems thinking, breaking assumptions, shared vision, and team learning. Robinson urges patience, sustainable progress, and embedding DEIB into ASCLS’s culture, ensuring it becomes an ongoing,…