Description
RESEARCH PROJECT This semester, you will research a topic related to your field of study or current career. Choose either an innovation or a problem to be solved in your current, past, or future workplace. Then, begin to study the topic, doing both primary and secondary research. You will submit a business proposal requesting to research this topic to your instructor at the start of the semester. Required Elements of the Report Your report should be modeled after the sample provided in your text and the sample provided at our Blackboard site. The report must contain: a title page, a table of contents, an executive summary, five to seven single spaced pages of text (not including title page, table of contents, summary, and graphics), two graphics you construct, and a references page. Your report must include a total of at least six sources cited on the references page and two graphics you construct. There must be both primary and secondary sources listed. You must also include parenthetical (in-text) references within your pages of text as appropriate. For all sources, you should use APA format. See https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ for help if needed.
Increasing Staffing in Medical Laboratories
Prepared for
Doctor Alana Smith
Grant Hospital – Medical Laboratory Department
Prepared by
Robin Student
Columbus State Community College
22 May 2012
Table of Contents
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iii
Introduction
Problem…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Purpose……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1
Methods…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Increasing Staffing in Medical Laboratories
Factors Contributing to the Shortage…………………………………..…………………………………….2
“Baby Boomers”……………………………………………………….……………………………………………….2
High Vacancy Rates and Personnel Turnover………………………………………….………………….2
Decline of Educational Programs…………………………………….…………………………………………3
Reasons for Low Interest in Medical Laboratory Careers
Lack of Awareness……………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Inadequate Benefits and Opportunities……………………..………………………………………………3
Proposed Methods for Increasing MLT Staffing
Advertising and Promoting the Profession…………………………………………………………………4
Improving Educational Opportunities and Programs…………………………………………………5
Increasing Incentives for Laboratory Employees……………………………………………………….5
Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
Works Cited………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
List of Illustrations
Figure 1‒Graph: Medical Laboratory Vacancy Rates…………………………………………………………………2
Figure 2‒Graph: Comparative Pay Scale: Medical Careers Requiring an Associate’s Degree……..4
Figure 3-Chart: Summary of Problems and Proposed Solutions…………………………………………………6
Appendix
Appendix A
Interview with Sandra Arrighi……………………………………………………………………………………8
Appendix B
Survey Questions………………………………………………………………………………………………………9
Proposal to Research Methods for Increasing Medical Laboratory Staffing
Executive Summary
American hospitals are currently experiencing a shortage of skilled clinical laboratory workers, and data suggests that the shortage will become more pronounced over the next decade. Medical laboratory technicians perform a number of services which are crucial to a hospital’s ability to offer optimal care for its patients. A number of factors are causing the shortage, including the following items.
- Decreased staffing levels as “Baby Boomers” reach retirement age
- Increased need for medical testing as “Baby Boomers” age
- Loss of laboratory staff to higher-paying, non-hospital jobs
- Low enrollment levels in laboratory-related educational programs
- Lack of public awareness of the existence and nature of laboratory work
- Inadequate benefits and opportunities for laboratory employees
These factors call for a significant increase in laboratory technicians, and thus create the need to increase the numbers of students entering and completing medical laboratory technology educational programs. Increasing public awareness of these issues is vital if the staffing shortage is to be remedied before it becomes catastrophic.
There are a number of possible courses of action our hospital can and should take which may lead to increased staffing in our medical laboratories. Raising public awareness of the shortage may result in increased interest in the profession, and this could boost not only applicants for our lab but also enrollment in medical laboratory educational programs.
Introduction
Laboratory staffing is a crucial factor in a hospital’s ability to deliver the best possible care for its patients. Without an adequate clinical laboratory staff, hospitals may struggle to provide expeditious diagnosis and treatment. The current shortage of laboratory technicians is growing; it is imperative that a solution be found.
Problem
Hospitals nationwide, including our own here at Grant Hospital, are experiencing an increasing shortage of Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs). MLTs perform a number of services and are essential in providing doctors with the information necessary to diagnose and treat diseases, infections, and injuries. The shortage is due to a number of factors, including the following items.
- “Baby Boomers” aging and retiring
- Personnel Turnover
- Decline of Educational Programs
- Lack of Public Awareness
- Inadequate Benefits and Opportunities
The need to increase the number of skilled laboratory workers at Grant implies a need to increase the number of people receiving degrees in lab-related educational subjects, and thus a need to raise interest in medical laboratory technology.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to examine two main factors affecting the lab staffing shortage: the causes of the increasing demand for laboratory workers and the reasons why people aren’t entering the field in the numbers necessary to alleviate the shortage. Additionally, some suggestions will be made in regards to possible ways to increase public awareness of the issue and potentially attract people to the field.
Methods
The information in this report was gathered from several sources.
- Internet research including salary databases and scholarly medical journals
- Personal interview of Medical Lab Technology Program
- Survey of randomly selected Columbus State Community College students
Increasing Staffing in Medical Laboratories
There are multiple factors that contribute to the need for increased staffing in medical laboratories. The following sections will discuss baby boomers, high turnover rates, and the decline of educational programs.
“Baby Boomers”
According to clinical laboratory scientist and writer Anita Stone, there are multiple causes of the current laboratory staffing shortage. In her article Seeking Long-Term Solutions: Laboratory Staffing Shortages, she cites the “Baby Boomers” as a large “segment of the population…reaching retirement age” as one such reason (Stone, 2008). These aging employees constitute “a majority of laboratory personnel” currently working in the field. As the older generation of laboratory employees retires, the vacancy rates will continue to grow. This factor contributes to a portion of the demand for laboratory personnel, but is only a part of the larger issue. In addition, as the population ages, there is an increased need for medical testing to diagnose and treat illnesses that are more common with advanced age.
High Vacancy Rates and Personnel Turnover
Michael McBride, a writer for DarkDaily.com (a clinical laboratory news website) reported on a nationwide survey of MLTs. He found that medical laboratories often spend as long as a year attempting to fill vacant positions, especially those related to blood banking. The areas of medical laboratory work with the highest vacancy rates are shown below (Fig. 1). Of these areas, immunology has the highest percentage of “Baby Boomers” expected to retire before 2017 (McBride, 2011).
Figure 1 – Medical Laboratory Vacancy Rates
Source: The Dark Intelligence Group, Inc. (McBride, 2011)
Several other major factors present an obstacle to maintaining adequate staffing levels in hospital laboratories. According to the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), one of the main causes of the shortage is increasing personnel turnover rates (American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2004). The growing turnover rate is largely due to technicians being “lured away from careers in laboratory medicine by higher salaries in other allied health careers or research medicine” (American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2004).
Decline of Educational Programs
The ASCP says that the demand for MLTs is continuing to grow; the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that “approximately 13,800 medical laboratory professionals will be needed each year…to fill vacant laboratory positions”, but fewer than 4,000 students per year are currently graduating from MLT programs (American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2004). Although the U.S. population has grown by more than 20% since 1980, there has been a 30% decline in the numbers of graduating laboratory practitioners in that same span of time (American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2004)
Reasons for Low Interest in Medical Laboratory Careers
Lacking awareness of the field and inadequate benefits or opportunities are two of the main factors leading to low interest in Medical Laboratory Technology careers.
Lack of Awareness
According to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program Director and Coordinator for Columbus State Community College (CSCC), Sandra Arrighi, “there are many people who have no idea what a laboratory technician does or the training that it requires to become a lab tech” (Arrighi, 2012).
An MLT Awareness Survey of 25 randomly selected CSCC students revealed that 64% of them had never heard of the MLT program. Enrollment in MLT education is low largely due to a simple lack of public awareness.
Inadequate Benefits and Opportunities
Sandra Arrighi also mentions salary as a factor preventing people from pursuing MLT careers: she cites “technical difficulty (and) complexity combined with a pay scale that…does not match up to the responsibility of the position” (Arrighi, 2012). Data collected from salary.com indicates that many other careers requiring only an associate’s degree offer better salaries.
Participants in the MLT Awareness Survey identified “salary” and “nature of the work” as the aspects of a career which most strongly influence their educational choices Dental hygienists, massage therapists, physical therapy assistants and certified respiratory therapists can all expect a higher median salary than a medical laboratory technician (salary.com, 2012). Figure 2 shows a comparison of the median salaries in Columbus, OH, for each of these careers.
Figure 2 – Comparative Pay Scale
Source: Salary.com, US Salary Wizard, 2012.
Proposed Methods for Increasing MLT Staffing
The following information provides recommendations on increasing Medical Laboratory Technology staffing that Grant Hospital and other institutions could implement. Specifically, advertisement of the profession, improving educational programs, and increasing employee incentives will hopefully bring more quality professionals to the field.
Advertising and Promoting the Profession
The laboratory shortage has existed and grown over the past few decades, and many in the field are predicting that it will reach crisis levels in the next ten years. The public must be informed of the issue if interest (and thus participation) in Medical Laboratory Technology educational programs is to increase.
Sandra Arrighi suggests that “news coverage would be an excellent way to expose the potential problem as well as promoting the profession” (Arrighi, 2012). Seventy-two percent of survey participants said they would be more likely to consider Medical Laboratory Technology as a career choice once they were made aware of the staffing shortage and the increased availability of positions within the field.
In the MLT Awareness Survey, 80% of those surveyed identified internet advertising as the medium most likely to reach them. An internet-based advertising campaign which focused on salary potential and the nature of laboratory work might be effective in increasing both general awareness and program enrollment.
Improving Educational Opportunities and Programs
A cooperative program that involved professionals in multiple areas of healthcare delivery and education could increase interest in MLT careers. This would also offer more immediate benefits to its participants, such as income and health coverage that they may not otherwise have. In Seeking Long-Term Solutions: Laboratory Staffing Shortages, Stone (2003) suggests a partnership between schools, hospitals, and healthcare organizations.
Requiring participation in education/mentor programs as a part of Grant Hospital’s accreditation would encourage Healthcare Corporations to endow education and become a pro-active part of the process to alleviate staffing shortages. Hospital education programs might be developed that provide education expenses in exchange for term employment agreements (Stone, 2003).
Implementing such a program would be costly and time consuming initially, but the long-term benefits to the system could eventually offset the cost. Grant Hospital could spend less time and money in recruitment and training with a partnership in place.
Increasing Incentives for Laboratory Employees
Stone also discusses the disparity between the difficulty of a medical laboratory career and the benefits associated with it. If the medical laboratory staffing shortage is to be corrected, the pay scale and advancement opportunities available to MLTs must be “brought to a level that equilibrates the rewards with the demands and challenges of the profession” (Stone, 2003). She notes that most medical laboratory technicians will work “without the opportunity to advance their careers or salaries (beyond minimal cost-of-living increases) unless they move out of the laboratory environment” (Stone, 2003).
Offering such benefits as competitive wages, additional healthcare options, and increased educational opportunities to MLTs may also increase interest in not only Grant Hospital, but also the field overall. Stone suggests that improving retirement benefits is also necessary: “Professionals who spend their careers caring for the health of others deserve to have their own healthcare provided for when employment comes to a close” (Stone, 2003).
Conclusions
The medical laboratory staffing shortage developed over a span of decades; while it has not yet reached the point of crisis, swift action is critical. The following table (Fig.3) shows each factor contributing to the shortage alongside a prospective solution.
Figure 3 – Problem/Solution Table for MLT field
Problem | Potential Solution |
Staff approaching retirement age | Attract young people to work in the field |
Personnel turnover | Increase incentives to match levels of rewards with demands of the job |
Decline of educational programs | Partnership between hospitals, schools and healthcare organizations |
Lack of awareness | News coverage and advertising |
Inadequate benefits/ opportunities | Offer retirement benefits and assistance for continued education |
None of these suggestions is a panacea, but if applied in tandem, the potential certainly exists to alleviate‒ and perhaps eradicate‒ the current shortage. Over time, these changes to the system could prevent the issue from recurring and hopefully will make not only Grant Hospital a desirable place to work, but also Medical Laboratory Technician a more popular career choice.
**NOTE: you should have at least 5 full single-spaced pages of content in your body
Works Cited
American Society for Clinical Pathology. “The Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage”. The American Society for Clinical Pathology. April 2004. Web. 23 April 2012.
Arrighi, Sandra. Medical Laboratory Technology Program Director and Coordinator, Columbus State Community College.Personal interview. 30 April 2012.
McBride, Michael. “Vacancy Rates for MTs and Technical Staff in Medical Laboratories Continue to Climb”. Dark Daily: Clinical Laboratory and Pathology News and Trends. 25 April 2011. Web. 23 April 2012.
Stone, Anita. “Seeking Long-Term Solutions: Laboratory Staffing Shortages”. The Science Advisory Board. 22 December 2003. Web. 23 April 2012
Survey: “Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) Awareness”. 5 May 2012.
U.S. Salary Wizard. Salary.com. 1 May 2012. Web. 5 May 2012.
Appendix A
Interview with Sandra Arrighi
- Please state your full name and title. Sandra Arrighi, M.Ed. CLS (ASCP)CM My CSCC Title is Medical Laboratory Technology Program Director and Coordinator.
- How long have you been involved in Medical Laboratory Technology? Since 1975…that would make a total of 37 years!
- What do you consider to be the most challenging aspect of the job? The most rewarding? Most Challenging: Developing course material to suit all learning styles. Most Rewarding: Graduation Day!! CSCC MLT students juggle family, jobs and school yet they stay focused and are dedicated to their studies.
- In your opinion, why is it difficult to attract people to the Medical Laboratory field? Two reasons come to mind: Technical difficulty/complexity combined with a pay scale that in my opinion does not match up to the responsibility of the position.
- What do you wish people knew about a career in Medical Laboratory Technology (that might encourage them to pursue it)? Medical Laboratory Technicians provide a service to their community. Individuals who care about their community, enjoy science, and love the idea of lifetime of learning might be interested in pursuing this career.
- Which of the following options would you consider best suited to attracting more people to a career in Medical Laboratory Technology: advertising the program as offered at CSCC, or news coverage of the current staffing shortage? Why? There are many people who have no idea what a laboratory technician does or the training that it requires to become a lab tech. Because of that, we will soon have a work shortage crisis. News coverage would be an excellent way to expose the potential problem as well as promoting the profession.
- What advice would you offer a student considering a career in Medical Laboratory Technology? In addition to working hard and staying focused in your courses, demonstrate desirable professional behaviors at all times (inside and outside of the classroom). Strive to communicate effectively, show interest in your work, and be punctual, flexible and persistent. It is also important to have a high moral character and have good judgment. These qualities along with being skilled will surely result in success!
Appendix B
Medical Laboratory Awareness Survey Questions
- Have you heard of Columbus State’s Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) program?
- Yes
- No
If yes, how did you hear of it?
- What aspects of a job are you most influenced by? (Circle all that apply)
- Salary
- Years of education required
- Nature of the work
- Personal interest in the work
- Benefits to community (helping others)
- Which of the following methods of advertising reaches you most often? (Circle all that apply)
- Television advertising
- Internet advertising
- Billboards
- Other (specify)
- If Columbus State’s MLT program had a social media page (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) providing information and networking opportunities, would you check it out?
- Yes
- No
- There is a growing shortage of staff in medical laboratories nationwide, which means that there are numerous job opportunities in the field. Knowing this, would you be more likely to consider Medical Laboratory Technology as a career choice?
- Yes
- No
- Increasing Staffing in Medical Laboratories
Prepared for
Doctor Alana Smith
Grant Hospital – Medical Laboratory Department
Prepared by
Robin Student
Columbus State Community College
22 May 2012
Table of Contents
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iii
Introduction
Problem…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Purpose……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1
Methods…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Increasing Staffing in Medical Laboratories
Factors Contributing to the Shortage…………………………………..…………………………………….2
“Baby Boomers”……………………………………………………….……………………………………………….2
High Vacancy Rates and Personnel Turnover………………………………………….………………….2
Decline of Educational Programs…………………………………….…………………………………………3
Reasons for Low Interest in Medical Laboratory Careers
Lack of Awareness……………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Inadequate Benefits and Opportunities……………………..………………………………………………3
Proposed Methods for Increasing MLT Staffing
Advertising and Promoting the Profession…………………………………………………………………4
Improving Educational Opportunities and Programs…………………………………………………5
Increasing Incentives for Laboratory Employees……………………………………………………….5
Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
Works Cited………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
List of Illustrations
Figure 1‒Graph: Medical Laboratory Vacancy Rates…………………………………………………………………2
Figure 2‒Graph: Comparative Pay Scale: Medical Careers Requiring an Associate’s Degree……..4
Figure 3-Chart: Summary of Problems and Proposed Solutions…………………………………………………6
Appendix
Appendix A
Interview with Sandra Arrighi……………………………………………………………………………………8
Appendix B
Survey Questions………………………………………………………………………………………………………9
Proposal to Research Methods for Increasing Medical Laboratory Staffing
Executive Summary
American hospitals are currently experiencing a shortage of skilled clinical laboratory workers, and data suggests that the shortage will become more pronounced over the next decade. Medical laboratory technicians perform a number of services which are crucial to a hospital’s ability to offer optimal care for its patients. A number of factors are causing the shortage, including the following items.
- Decreased staffing levels as “Baby Boomers” reach retirement age
- Increased need for medical testing as “Baby Boomers” age
- Loss of laboratory staff to higher-paying, non-hospital jobs
- Low enrollment levels in laboratory-related educational programs
- Lack of public awareness of the existence and nature of laboratory work
- Inadequate benefits and opportunities for laboratory employees
These factors call for a significant increase in laboratory technicians, and thus create the need to increase the numbers of students entering and completing medical laboratory technology educational programs. Increasing public awareness of these issues is vital if the staffing shortage is to be remedied before it becomes catastrophic.
There are a number of possible courses of action our hospital can and should take which may lead to increased staffing in our medical laboratories. Raising public awareness of the shortage may result in increased interest in the profession, and this could boost not only applicants for our lab but also enrollment in medical laboratory educational programs.
IntroductionLaboratory staffing is a crucial factor in a hospital’s ability to deliver the best possible care for its patients. Without an adequate clinical laboratory staff, hospitals may struggle to provide expeditious diagnosis and treatment. The current shortage of laboratory technicians is growing; it is imperative that a solution be found.
Problem
Hospitals nationwide, including our own here at Grant Hospital, are experiencing an increasing shortage of Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs). MLTs perform a number of services and are essential in providing doctors with the information necessary to diagnose and treat diseases, infections, and injuries. The shortage is due to a number of factors, including the following items.
- “Baby Boomers” aging and retiring
- Personnel Turnover
- Decline of Educational Programs
- Lack of Public Awareness
- Inadequate Benefits and Opportunities
The need to increase the number of skilled laboratory workers at Grant implies a need to increase the number of people receiving degrees in lab-related educational subjects, and thus a need to raise interest in medical laboratory technology.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to examine two main factors affecting the lab staffing shortage: the causes of the increasing demand for laboratory workers and the reasons why people aren’t entering the field in the numbers necessary to alleviate the shortage. Additionally, some suggestions will be made in regards to possible ways to increase public awareness of the issue and potentially attract people to the field.
Methods
The information in this report was gathered from several sources.
- Internet research including salary databases and scholarly medical journals
- Personal interview of Medical Lab Technology Program
- Survey of randomly selected Columbus State Community College students
Increasing Staffing in Medical Laboratories
There are multiple factors that contribute to the need for increased staffing in medical laboratories. The following sections will discuss baby boomers, high turnover rates, and the decline of educational programs.
“Baby Boomers”
According to clinical laboratory scientist and writer Anita Stone, there are multiple causes of the current laboratory staffing shortage. In her article Seeking Long-Term Solutions: Laboratory Staffing Shortages, she cites the “Baby Boomers” as a large “segment of the population…reaching retirement age” as one such reason (Stone, 2008). These aging employees constitute “a majority of laboratory personnel” currently working in the field. As the older generation of laboratory employees retires, the vacancy rates will continue to grow. This factor contributes to a portion of the demand for laboratory personnel, but is only a part of the larger issue. In addition, as the population ages, there is an increased need for medical testing to diagnose and treat illnesses that are more common with advanced age.
High Vacancy Rates and Personnel Turnover
Michael McBride, a writer for DarkDaily.com (a clinical laboratory news website) reported on a nationwide survey of MLTs. He found that medical laboratories often spend as long as a year attempting to fill vacant positions, especially those related to blood banking. The areas of medical laboratory work with the highest vacancy rates are shown below (Fig. 1). Of these areas, immunology has the highest percentage of “Baby Boomers” expected to retire before 2017 (McBride, 2011).
Figure 1 – Medical Laboratory Vacancy Rates
Source: The Dark Intelligence Group, Inc. (McBride, 2011)
Several other major factors present an obstacle to maintaining adequate staffing levels in hospital laboratories. According to the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), one of the main causes of the shortage is increasing personnel turnover rates (American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2004). The growing turnover rate is largely due to technicians being “lured away from careers in laboratory medicine by higher salaries in other allied health careers or research medicine” (American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2004).
Decline of Educational Programs
The ASCP says that the demand for MLTs is continuing to grow; the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that “approximately 13,800 medical laboratory professionals will be needed each year…to fill vacant laboratory positions”, but fewer than 4,000 students per year are currently graduating from MLT programs (American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2004). Although the U.S. population has grown by more than 20% since 1980, there has been a 30% decline in the numbers of graduating laboratory practitioners in that same span of time (American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2004)
Reasons for Low Interest in Medical Laboratory Careers
Lacking awareness of the field and inadequate benefits or opportunities are two of the main factors leading to low interest in Medical Laboratory Technology careers.
Lack of Awareness
According to the Medical Laboratory Technology Program Director and Coordinator for Columbus State Community College (CSCC), Sandra Arrighi, “there are many people who have no idea what a laboratory technician does or the training that it requires to become a lab tech” (Arrighi, 2012).
An MLT Awareness Survey of 25 randomly selected CSCC students revealed that 64% of them had never heard of the MLT program. Enrollment in MLT education is low largely due to a simple lack of public awareness.
Inadequate Benefits and Opportunities
Sandra Arrighi also mentions salary as a factor preventing people from pursuing MLT careers: she cites “technical difficulty (and) complexity combined with a pay scale that…does not match up to the responsibility of the position” (Arrighi, 2012). Data collected from salary.com indicates that many other careers requiring only an associate’s degree offer better salaries.
Participants in the MLT Awareness Survey identified “salary” and “nature of the work” as the aspects of a career which most strongly influence their educational choices Dental hygienists, massage therapists, physical therapy assistants and certified respiratory therapists can all expect a higher median salary than a medical laboratory technician (salary.com, 2012). Figure 2 shows a comparison of the median salaries in Columbus, OH, for each of these careers.
Figure 2 – Comparative Pay Scale
Source: Salary.com, US Salary Wizard, 2012.
Proposed Methods for Increasing MLT Staffing
The following information provides recommendations on increasing Medical Laboratory Technology staffing that Grant Hospital and other institutions could implement. Specifically, advertisement of the profession, improving educational programs, and increasing employee incentives will hopefully bring more quality professionals to the field.
Advertising and Promoting the Profession
The laboratory shortage has existed and grown over the past few decades, and many in the field are predicting that it will reach crisis levels in the next ten years. The public must be informed of the issue if interest (and thus participation) in Medical Laboratory Technology educational programs is to increase.
Sandra Arrighi suggests that “news coverage would be an excellent way to expose the potential problem as well as promoting the profession” (Arrighi, 2012). Seventy-two percent of survey participants said they would be more likely to consider Medical Laboratory Technology as a career choice once they were made aware of the staffing shortage and the increased availability of positions within the field.
In the MLT Awareness Survey, 80% of those surveyed identified internet advertising as the medium most likely to reach them. An internet-based advertising campaign which focused on salary potential and the nature of laboratory work might be effective in increasing both general awareness and program enrollment.
Improving Educational Opportunities and Programs
A cooperative program that involved professionals in multiple areas of healthcare delivery and education could increase interest in MLT careers. This would also offer more immediate benefits to its participants, such as income and health coverage that they may not otherwise have. In Seeking Long-Term Solutions: Laboratory Staffing Shortages, Stone (2003) suggests a partnership between schools, hospitals, and healthcare organizations.
Requiring participation in education/mentor programs as a part of Grant Hospital’s accreditation would encourage Healthcare Corporations to endow education and become a pro-active part of the process to alleviate staffing shortages. Hospital education programs might be developed that provide education expenses in exchange for term employment agreements (Stone, 2003).
Implementing such a program would be costly and time consuming initially, but the long-term benefits to the system could eventually offset the cost. Grant Hospital could spend less time and money in recruitment and training with a partnership in place.
Increasing Incentives for Laboratory Employees
Stone also discusses the disparity between the difficulty of a medical laboratory career and the benefits associated with it. If the medical laboratory staffing shortage is to be corrected, the pay scale and advancement opportunities available to MLTs must be “brought to a level that equilibrates the rewards with the demands and challenges of the profession” (Stone, 2003). She notes that most medical laboratory technicians will work “without the opportunity to advance their careers or salaries (beyond minimal cost-of-living increases) unless they move out of the laboratory environment” (Stone, 2003).
Offering such benefits as competitive wages, additional healthcare options, and increased educational opportunities to MLTs may also increase interest in not only Grant Hospital, but also the field overall. Stone suggests that improving retirement benefits is also necessary: “Professionals who spend their careers caring for the health of others deserve to have their own healthcare provided for when employment comes to a close” (Stone, 2003).
Conclusions
The medical laboratory staffing shortage developed over a span of decades; while it has not yet reached the point of crisis, swift action is critical. The following table (Fig.3) shows each factor contributing to the shortage alongside a prospective solution.
Figure 3 – Problem/Solution Table for MLT field
Problem Potential Solution Staff approaching retirement age Attract young people to work in the field Personnel turnover Increase incentives to match levels of rewards with demands of the job Decline of educational programs Partnership between hospitals, schools and healthcare organizations Lack of awareness News coverage and advertising Inadequate benefits/ opportunities Offer retirement benefits and assistance for continued education None of these suggestions is a panacea, but if applied in tandem, the potential certainly exists to alleviate‒ and perhaps eradicate‒ the current shortage. Over time, these changes to the system could prevent the issue from recurring and hopefully will make not only Grant Hospital a desirable place to work, but also Medical Laboratory Technician a more popular career choice.
**NOTE: you should have at least 5 full single-spaced pages of content in your body
Works Cited
American Society for Clinical Pathology. “The Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage”. The American Society for Clinical Pathology. April 2004. Web. 23 April 2012.
Arrighi, Sandra. Medical Laboratory Technology Program Director and Coordinator, Columbus State Community College.Personal interview. 30 April 2012.
McBride, Michael. “Vacancy Rates for MTs and Technical Staff in Medical Laboratories Continue to Climb”. Dark Daily: Clinical Laboratory and Pathology News and Trends. 25 April 2011. Web. 23 April 2012.
Stone, Anita. “Seeking Long-Term Solutions: Laboratory Staffing Shortages”. The Science Advisory Board. 22 December 2003. Web. 23 April 2012
Survey: “Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) Awareness”. 5 May 2012.
U.S. Salary Wizard. Salary.com. 1 May 2012. Web. 5 May 2012.
Appendix A
Interview with Sandra Arrighi
- Please state your full name and title. Sandra Arrighi, M.Ed. CLS (ASCP)CM My CSCC Title is Medical Laboratory Technology Program Director and Coordinator.
- How long have you been involved in Medical Laboratory Technology? Since 1975…that would make a total of 37 years!
- What do you consider to be the most challenging aspect of the job? The most rewarding? Most Challenging: Developing course material to suit all learning styles. Most Rewarding: Graduation Day!! CSCC MLT students juggle family, jobs and school yet they stay focused and are dedicated to their studies.
- In your opinion, why is it difficult to attract people to the Medical Laboratory field? Two reasons come to mind: Technical difficulty/complexity combined with a pay scale that in my opinion does not match up to the responsibility of the position.
- What do you wish people knew about a career in Medical Laboratory Technology (that might encourage them to pursue it)? Medical Laboratory Technicians provide a service to their community. Individuals who care about their community, enjoy science, and love the idea of lifetime of learning might be interested in pursuing this career.
- Which of the following options would you consider best suited to attracting more people to a career in Medical Laboratory Technology: advertising the program as offered at CSCC, or news coverage of the current staffing shortage? Why? There are many people who have no idea what a laboratory technician does or the training that it requires to become a lab tech. Because of that, we will soon have a work shortage crisis. News coverage would be an excellent way to expose the potential problem as well as promoting the profession.
- What advice would you offer a student considering a career in Medical Laboratory Technology? In addition to working hard and staying focused in your courses, demonstrate desirable professional behaviors at all times (inside and outside of the classroom). Strive to communicate effectively, show interest in your work, and be punctual, flexible and persistent. It is also important to have a high moral character and have good judgment. These qualities along with being skilled will surely result in success!
Appendix B
Medical Laboratory Awareness Survey Questions
- Have you heard of Columbus State’s Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) program?
- Yes
- No
If yes, how did you hear of it?
- What aspects of a job are you most influenced by? (Circle all that apply)
- Salary
- Years of education required
- Nature of the work
- Personal interest in the work
- Benefits to community (helping others)
- Which of the following methods of advertising reaches you most often? (Circle all that apply)
- Television advertising
- Internet advertising
- Billboards
- Other (specify)
- If Columbus State’s MLT program had a social media page (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) providing information and networking opportunities, would you check it out?
- Yes
- No
- There is a growing shortage of staff in medical laboratories nationwide, which means that there are numerous job opportunities in the field. Knowing this, would you be more likely to consider Medical Laboratory Technology as a career choice?
- Yes
- No