Texas Coalition for Clinical Laboratory Quality (page two)

How big is the shortage of of laboratory personnel?  The Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Labor, predicts a need for 58,000 new technologists and technicians by 2014 (1). The current number of graduates from accredited laboratory education programs will cover less than 75% of these openings   (2), and this number does not account for those who take jobs outside of the laboratory or retire.

If shortages of nurses, laboratory and other health care professionals are unavoidable, then can the public depend upon existing safeguards to ensure only competent persons perform these jobs?  Doctors, nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, dieticians are some of the health professions licensed by the state of Texas.  In each case in order to be licensed an individual must pass a board or certification exam, prior to being licensed to practice.  Certification is the accepted method of demonstrating a minimum level of competency in almost every skilled profession. Should Texans not expect the same standard of competency for clinical laboratory personnel?

Currently eleven states and Puerto Rico license clinical laboratory technologists and technicians.  Each state has different laws concerning the requirement for continuing education, license fees, and routes to becoming licensed.  The common denominator among all states which license laboratory personnel is the requirement for a licensee to be certified by a recognized agency.  Many health care personnel are certified without being licensed.(3)  An important difference - certification is voluntary and licensure is a legal requirement, with penalties for those who practice without a license.

The TCLCQ believes that the work of clinical laboratory professionals has an impact on public safety, and the quality and efficiency of healthcare.  The TCLCQ believes the state of Texas should ensure that Texas laboratory personnel are qualified to do their jobs. 

Two leading clinical laboratory professional organizations have published position papers supporting personnel licensure.  The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) in 2005 and the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) in 2006 (4,5).

References:

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos096.htm

2. Anderson, S., NAACLS Update �CLEC 2006,
   presented March 29 at the 2006 Clinical Laboratory Educators Conference � San Antonio, TX
    

3. Wentz, J. Point-Counterpoint State Licensure,
   LabMedicine, 35 (10), 2004, 695-696
    

4. The ASCP position paper on state licensure is available online at
   https://www.ascp.org/pdf/StateLicensureofLaboratoryPersonnel.aspx
    

5. The ASCLS position paper on state licensure is available online at: https://www.ascls.org/position/LabPersonnelLicensure.asp

< back