Volume 39 Number 1 | February 2025
Redefining Reasonable Accommodations in the Clinical Laboratory
Tracey K. Gardner, MSEd, MLS(ASCP)CM, ASCLS Today Volunteer Contributor
“That was easy.” This was the delighted response from the manager in the Disability Resource Office after a meeting about accommodation for a student. At the outset, the accommodation appeared to be a big one for a clinical laboratory environment. However, after discussion, it turned out the ask was not such a big deal after all.
As I have moved from working the bench into a program director role at a public technical college, I have personally experienced a shift in my mindset about what makes a reasonable accommodation in a laboratory setting. If the increase in accommodation requests seen at my institution (the Disability Resource Office at my institution has seen their caseload almost double in the last two years) is a larger trend, we may all be challenged to open our minds to what constitutes “reasonable” accommodations.
I am the program director for the Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Program at Clover Park Technical College, a small, public technical college in Lakewood, Washington, with a mission of “educating tomorrow’s workforce” (CPTC, n.d.). The college lists one of its strategic goals as increasing “access and enrollment among historically marginalized populations who have not equally benefited from the rewards of higher education,” including to students with disabilities.
“I now come to each conversation about accommodations from a place of possibilities rather than from a place of ‘no.’”
During the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to take the disability resource manager with me on two clinical affiliate site visits. In the few hours we spent together, I began to see the laboratory environment with completely new eyes—the shelving above laboratory benches that saved floor space would be too high for people of short stature to reach, and the small room where microbiology set-ups are performed did not have enough door clearance if the person inside used mobility equipment.
I also heard how those we talked to within the laboratories immediately concluded that certain requests could not be accommodated. By the end of the day, I wanted to ask those we visited with if their answers would be different if a current employee made the request or if the request was for a temporary disability, such as post-operatively. If so, why couldn’t they accommodate the same request on a more permanent basis? I decided I would take the same approach in my own considerations for accommodation going forward.
Here are other practices I have personally adopted leading to the recent easy conversation with the disability resource manager:
- Critically examine current practices. I am currently in the process of reviewing and revising the program’s policies and procedures, especially those related to essential functions. As I do so, I am trying to align them with true industry standards more accurately reflecting the work expectations in the clinical laboratory. For example, do medical laboratory science professionals need to be able to lift 40 pounds, or would a lower weight more accurately reflect the physical job requirements?
- Critically examine my own assumptions. When I did so, I found I based many of my practices on assumptions I had made about certain disabilities rather than on listening to the people who lived with them. Becoming aware of my own implicit bias will be an on-going process, but one I am willing to undertake.
- Listen first. What is actually being requested? I realized my knee-jerk reaction towards accommodation requests was defensiveness. This may also be what I heard during the laboratory tour when staff members gave little thought before saying they could not make certain accommodations. By listening first, I keep an open mind and can hear what the individual needs.
- Have a good working relationship with the disability resource coordinator. I respect the disability resource manager’s professional opinions and perspective and now bring her into meetings as a valuable resource. She always has suggestions for accommodation others had not considered. I loop her in early, and I reach out to her for advice and her opinion if I am not sure. By including her early and often, I demonstrate my respect for her knowledge and experience and my perspective that we are on the same team to help students.
- Communicate directly whenever possible. So much nuance gets lost in an email, and I feel like it slows the process down. Talking with the stakeholders via Zoom or, even better, in person prevents misunderstandings. Written communication via email can always be used afterwards for follow up or documentation, but having real-time, face-to-face interactions initially is crucial!
Taken together, the lessons I have learned mean I now come to each conversation about accommodations from a place of possibilities rather than from a place of “no.” When I start with an open mind, I am more likely to see the possibilities. By maintaining positive personal relationships with the people involved, they understand my reasoning when I say a request cannot be accommodated, and we more easily collaborate on alternate solutions that may meet the student’s needs.
I continue to grow in my own understanding of what constitutes reasonable accommodations in the clinical laboratory setting by cultivating a mindset that embraces possibilities rather than limitations. This approach not only facilitates smoother and more productive conversations about accommodations, but also facilitates equitable opportunities for all my students. If you are also experiencing an increase in accommodation requests from students or employees, I encourage you to maintain an open-minded and collaborative attitude to continue supporting the diverse needs of the workforce.
Reference
- Clover Park Technical College. (n.d.). Our mission, vison, and values. https://www.cptc.edu/about/vision. Accessed June 9, 2024.
Tracey Gardner is Program Director and Instructor at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Washington.