ASCLS Today is the membership newsletter of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.
To submit an article for ASCLS Today, contact Editor Debra Rodahl.
Jessica Lawless, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Ascending Professionals Forum Vice Chair Jessica Lawless on Capitol Hill to meet with her congressional representatives during the 2019 Legislative Symposium. In March 2019 I attended my first Laboratory Legislative Symposium. I had been looking forward to this meeting since I joined ASCLS as a student more than two years ago.…
Barbara Snyderman, MLS(ASCP)CM, DLM, ASCLS E&R Fund Vice Chair What student couldn’t use some additional cash to fund his or her education, graduate studies, or research? The ASCLS Education & Research Fund, Inc., (E&R Fund) provides scholarships and grants available for students enrolled in programs in medical laboratory technology, medical laboratory science, and graduate degrees…
Kristen Croom, MLS(ASCP)CMMBCM, ASCLS Region X Director ASCLS-Hawaii participates in the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Joint Health Opportunities Conference. Members of ASCLS-Hawaii volunteer at a Girl Scouts STEM Fest. Typically, advocacy is thought of as lobbying our congressional representatives at a state or national level. This can be done by…
Brandy Gunsolus, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Patient Safety Committee Vice Chair, ASCLS Representative to the Coalition to Improve Diagnosis The Coalition to Improve Diagnosis hosted an annual in-person meeting November 10-13 in Washington, D.C., where coalition representatives met to discuss what their organizations have been doing to improve diagnosis and to collaborate with other coalition members.…
Minh Kosfeld, PhD, MLT(ASCP)CM As a working medical laboratory scientist and educator, I have found blood gas testing a challenging concept for many, coworkers and students alike. In this brief case I will provide a basic example of blood gas analysis to illustrate its use in the diagnosis of a blood gas disorder. A child…
The ASCLS Government Affairs Committee hosted a free webinar on October 3, 2019, to provide ASCLS members with an overview of advocacy and how to get involved. The presentation focused on the importance of advocacy, the technical aspects of regulation versus legislation, and practical approaches to individual advocacy. Watch the full webinar recording. Watch a…
Cindy Johnson, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS President Life-long learning is critical to laboratory professionals maintaining their expertise and advancing in their careers, as well as advancing the profession. ASCLS develops and delivers educational programming to assure that laboratory professionals acquire that knowledge by utilizing a variety of modes, including virtual and live meetings. In this month’s…
Beth Warning, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Region IV Director Congratulations! You may have just celebrated 40 years as a medical lab professional and are looking forward to retirement. You may be known as the coagulation guru, the “pee queen,” or the key operator for one of the analyzers. You remember running lithium testing on the flame…
Christal Lane, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM Maya Angelou reciting her poem, “On the Pulse of Morning,” at Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration in 1993. One of my favorite quotes is from Maya Angelou: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” I’ve had this quote posted on mirrors, in lockers,…
Brandy Gunsolus, DCLS, MLS(ASCP)CM Medical laboratories are continuously faced with more obstacles. However, the theme is inherently the same: do more with less. I have seen laboratories pinch pennies in an effort to make budget when supplies, shipping costs, and labor costs continue to increase. Some of the more creative efforts include utilizing a sterilization…