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WINTER EDITION FEBRUARY 2020
From ASCLS-IL!
ASCLS-IL
Insights LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Kate Bernhardt, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM, LSSGB
Hello ASCLS-IL Members, For my President's Letter,
I'd like to talk about a
topic that all too many of
us may be familiar with –
burnout. As laboratorians
and members of the
healthcare team, we are
increasingly susceptible to
burnout. Until recently,
burnout was called a stress
syndrome, but the World
Health Organization
(WHO) has updated the
definition to describe it as
a "syndrome
conceptualized as resulting
from chronic workplace
stress that has not been
successfully managed."
WHO lists the following
three symptoms, (1)
feelings of energy
depletion or exhaustion,
(2) increased mental
distance from one's job or
feeling negative towards
one's career, and (3)
reduced professional
productivity. There is a stigma attached
to burnout. If we admit to
feeling burned out, we
may feel like it is our fault
and we haven't practiced
enough "self-care." Are
we a failure if we aren't
resilient enough? After
all, we are responsible for
our own resilience, right?
Am I a bad colleague if I
sometimes feel an
"increased mental
distance" or negativity
towards my work? As a
Lab Manager, I see
burnout in others and I
have felt it in myself. I'm
very cognizant when I
begin exhibiting some of
the symptoms of burnout.
As a result, I'm always
interested in reading and
learning everything I can
about burnout. In fact, I
have a book I've been
meaning to read about
burnout in healthcare
professionals and ways to
"extinguish it", but
sometimes you don't want
to read about burnout
when you're burned out.
On the contrary,
sometimes you don't want
to be reminded about
burnout when you feel
like you’re coming on the
other side of it! So, here's my personal
take on burnout: It is real,
common, and we need to
talk about it. I also think
there's a continuum. We
can oscillate in and out of
burnout and it doesn't
make us any lesser of a
professional. As
healthcare workers, we
are compassionate and
work tirelessly to provide
timely results and care for
our patients, colleagues,
and clinicians. We also
are fantastic at
troubleshooting
instruments, handling
difficult conversations,
preparing for inspections,
managing projects, and
being resourceful during
staffing shortages and
supply backorders. This
Inside this issue: PRESIDENT’S 1-2 LETTER SAVE THE DATE 3 STUDENT 4-6 BOWL ASCLS-IL 7 AWARDS NOMINATIONS FUTURE 8-9 LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP ELLEN MCGILL 10-11 SCHOLARSHIP CHICAGO 12 BRANCH NEWS MEMORABLE 13-15 EXPERIENCE CORONAVIRUS 16-17 SIMULATION 18 LAB SOCIAL MEDIA 19 INFO FOR 20 PUBLICATION
PAGE 2 WINTER 2020
PRESIDENT’S LETTER, CONT.
can take a toll on us, though. I do think we are responsible for our own resilience, because if we aren't taking care of ourselves, who else
will? If we don't consciously try to unplug once in a while, no one is going to give us an award for staying
late on a Friday to send "one more email" that a recipient who won't read until Monday, anyways. In fact, if I
take steps to re-energize myself, I can be a better leader, colleague, parent, partner, or friend. I can then make
better decisions and be more productive.
I care about my team's resilience and worry about their burnout. If I truly care about their well-being, I need
to actively take steps to model the behavior myself, while leading with empathy and positivity. None of us
are immune from burnout. We all will experience varying degrees of it, but will manage or express it in
different ways. The work we do is so incredibly important and meaningful, but we also need to be well
ourselves so we can provide care to others. Do I know how to combat burnout? No. Do I know when I'm starting to feel symptoms from it? Yes, I think
so. And that's a good start! By identifying and naming the symptoms, we can take meaningful steps to re-
energize ourselves and find things that re-connect us to our work. Sometimes it means going for a run,
planning PTO, or practicing your preferred method of "self-care." Other options might include listening to a
comedy podcast during your commute to work, playing music while working on a tedious task, going for a
walk during your lunch break, joining a committee that excites you (Lab Safety, Diversity & Inclusion, etc.),
mentoring a new colleague, getting involved in your professional society, letting go of perfectionism (perfect
is the enemy of good!), or respectfully distancing yourself from something that stresses you out. Finding ways to extinguish burnout isn't simple. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. However, it can help
to know that burnout is widespread and we are not the only ones going through it. We can be honest and
practice compassion towards each other. Also, a simple "thank you" can truly go a long way. When I have
gone through my own difficult stretches, trying to meet deadlines and putting out various fires, it can be so
meaningful when someone provides a heartfelt "thank you" and means it. A "thank you" has the potential to
turn around a bad day and ground someone, perhaps reminding them why they love their job and do what they
do. Sometimes we are so busy and have such high expectations (the reward for good work is oftentimes more
work!), so we forget to slow down and say thank you to others. Because of this, I am trying to be more
intentional in thanking people. I invite you to do the same. With that being said, THANK YOU to all my fellow laboratory colleagues! We may oscillate in and out of
burnout, but know that we are not alone. I am truly thankful to all of my laboratory friends for the excellent
work they do every day, providing care for our patients, leading projects, educating future lab professionals,
or studying for a meaningful career as a laboratory professional. Working in healthcare isn't easy, but it is
meaningful. Thank you for reading my President's Letter and hearing my thoughts on burnout. We are all in this together.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic, too. What strategies do you use to cope with the symptoms of
burnout and find renewed joy in your work?
2019-2020 ASCLS-IL Board of Directors (BOD) President: Kate Bernhardt President-Elect: Nicholas R. Steder III Past President: Demetra “Toula” Castillo Recording Secretary: Jennifer Snowdon Executive Secretary: Gilma Roncancio-Weemer Treasurer: Demetra “Toula” Castillo Board Member-at-Large (2018-2020): Alexandra Vardouniotis Board Member-at-Large (2019-2021): Josephine Ebomoyi Nomination and Election Committee Michelle Campbell Elaine Nicholas 2019-2020 Student Forum Officers Chair: Kim Espejo Vice Chair: Alex Maillet Secretary: Nikko Henry
WINTER 2020 PAGE 3
SAVE THE DATE: 2020 ASCLS-IL ANNUAL MEETING
The ASCLS-Illinois Annual Meeting Planning Committee is excited to announce that the 2020 Annual Meeting is coming soon! The meeting will take place March 30-April 1, 2020 at the Northern Illinois University Conference Center in Naperville, IL. Stay tuned for more information on programming.
WINTER 2020 PAGE 4
ASCLS-IL STUDENT BOWL COMPETITION REGISTRATION IS
NOW OPEN!
Attention Program Directors, Faculty and MLS/MLT Students!!!
The annual Student Bowl Competition will take place on Monday, March 30th, 2020 at 6pm at the Annual ASCLS-IL State Meeting in Naperville, Illinois at the NIU Naperville-Conference Center, 1120 E. Diehl
Rd.
The deadline to submit the on-line registration form is February 28th, 2020. Team registration: https://forms.gle/yBmtZGfhqHrxPQnR6
Competition rules: https://goo.gl/dztGyp
**Please include a $35.00 check payable to ASCLS-IL for each team registered**
Please mail this check to: Alexandra Vardouniotis,
5422 West Reba Street, Morton Grove, IL 60053
***All team members and alternates must be registered for the ASCLS-IL
state meeting in order to participate in this competition.***
It is also required that each registered student bowl team have their Program Director or Faculty submit 3 questions that may be used in future student bowl games. These questions should be submitted to the Student Bowl Co-Chairs (Alex and Sheila). It is important that these questions are NOT shared with your students. The questions should be worth 5, 10 or 20 points in the following categories: UA/Body Fluids, Hematology, Coagulation, Chemistry, Lab Practices, Blood Bank, Immunology, Bacteriology, or Mycology/Parasitology/TB. All questions provided must have an answer/explanation and a current reference. Feel free to submit as many questions as you would like! The student Bowl Committee greatly appreciates your participation and support!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Student Bowl
Committee Co-Chairs: Alexandra Vardouniotis or Sheila Zenk at
WINTER 2020 PAGE 5
REQUEST FOR ASCLS-IL STUDENT BOWL VOLUNTEERS!
Date: Monday, March 30th, 2020 Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm (Set up begins at 5pm, clean up after last game)
Place: NIU - Naperville Conference Center, 1120 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, IL ,60563 Interested in being more involved with ASCLS-IL, but not sure where to start? You can begin by volunteering with Student Bowl! This is a great opportunity to meet other professionals, learn about the society, and have fun! Sign up by visiting: https://goo.gl/forms/aCvzeoXnNTGjmMr62 or email us at [email protected] for more information!
WINTER 2020 PAGE 6
REQUEST FOR ASCLS-IL STUDENT BOWL QUESTIONS!
Are you an educator willing to write questions to be used in future student bowl games?
If so, we are in need of:
5 point, 10 point and 20 point questions in the following categories:
UA/Body Fluids, Hematology, Coagulation, Chemistry, Lab Practices, Blood Bank, Immunology, Bacteriology, Mycology/
Parasitology/TB
All questions provided should be accompanied with an answer/explanation and a current reference.
Please feel free to submit as many questions as you would like!!!
Please note that it is important that these questions should not be shared
with students.
Any questions, please email Alex or Sheila at [email protected]
The ASCLS Awards Committee is seeking nominations for awards. To bring recognition to the many outstanding members in our professional society, please consider nominating them for an award! Submit your nominations to Alexandra Vardouniotis ([email protected]) or Nicholas Moore ([email protected]) by February 28, 2020 See http://asclsil.org/Awards.html for more information, including downloadable copies of the nomination forms for each of the awards listed below. Awards include: • ASCLS-IL Student of the Year Award - The Student Award recognizes a student member of the ASCLS-IL who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and contributed to the growth and development of the ASCLS-IL.
• ASCLS-IL Educator of the Year Award - This award serves to recognize an ASCLS-IL member/educator for outstanding achievements, contributions, and service to the professional and celebrates the value of professional ability and commitment.
• ASCLS-IL Keys to the Future Award - This award serves to recognize and reward ASCLS members who have demonstrated their leadership potential to the organization and to provide these members with structured mentoring.
Must be a new member (within three years), or a longstanding member who has recently increased his/her activity with the society
Must be an ASCLS member in the Professional I, Professional II, or Student categories of membership
Must have demonstrated leadership potential by directing at least one task force or project, chairing a committee with significant tasks, or performing exceptionally as a constituent society Board member or local/chapter officer; outcomes of this involvement must be considered outstanding, creative and of high quality
Must not have received this award previously
• ASCLS-IL Member of the Year Award - This award serves to recognize an ASCLS-IL member who has contributed significantly over the past year or who has a long history of contribution, to the field of MLS and to the Society and who has, by outstanding example, inspired others. The MOY selected will have his/her name submitted to ASCLS for national consideration.
• ASCLS-IL Omicron Sigma Award - Omicron Sigma is the ASCLS President’s Honor Roll for outstanding service. It provides lasting recognition of those dedicated members who volunteer their personal resources, time and energy to ASCLS-IL. Recognition is at the national, regional and state levels. ● ASCLS-IL New Professional of the Year Award - The ASCLS New Professional of the Year Award is awarded each year to recognize a member of ASCLS-IL who has contributed significantly to the field of clinical laboratory science and to the Society during his/her first to five years in the profession.
• ASCLS-IL Lifetime Achievement Award - The nominee must be: A member of ASCLS for at least 20 years prior to nomination, a current member at the time of award presentation, and actively involved in the profession of Clinical Laboratory Science. ASCLS Board of Director members are NOT eligible during their tenure on the board. For information on the awards that are granted by the National ASCLS organization please see: https://www.ascls.org/about-us/awards-and-scholarships
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR ASCLS-IL AWARDS
WINTER 2020 PAGE 7
WINTER 2020 PAGE 8
ASCLS-IL FUTURE LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP
Eligibility Requirements and Instructions:
Eligibility: Candidate must be an active member of ASCLS-IL in their final year of an MLS/MLT Program or in their first year as a professional. The applicant must express a commitment to serve on an ASCLS-IL Committee the year following their receipt of the scholarship. Reference: A member of the ASCLS-IL Board of Directors or an ASCLS-IL committee member must submit a letter on behalf of the candidate Describing the candidate’s merit for the scholarship, professional/academic strengths and potential for involvement in ASCLS-IL leadership positions. Deadline: Completed applications and supporting documents must be received by March 15th of the application year. Award: Two scholarships of $500 each to attend the ASCLS-IL State Meeting will be awarded each calendar year. Notification of awards will be made by March 31st of the application year. A letter via email will be sent to the recipient informing him or her of the award.
Selection Criteria In order to receive full consideration for the ASCLS-IL Future Leaders Scholarship the candidate must: 1. Be a student member or first year professional member of ASCLS and a resident of Illinois.
2. Demonstrate an interest in involvement in the society at the local or state level. 3. Demonstrate the potential for future leadership on the ASCLS-IL Board of Directors or on committees within the society. 4. Applicant must commit to service on an ASCLS-IL Committee for the year following the receipt of the scholarship
Statement of Leadership Interests and Goals
Applicants are selected based on their past involvement and potential future contributions to the society. The candidate will submit a short biographical essay which, at a minimum, should address the following topics: 1. Past involvement in the society (if applicable). 2. Goals and interests for future involvement in the society with specific reference to plans for involvement on preferred committee. 3. Reasons for attending ASCLS-IL Annual Meeting
4. Explanation of the need for this scholarship to support your attendance at the meeting.
WINTER 2020 PAGE 9
ASCLS-IL FUTURE LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP, CONT.
Applicant Information (Please type all information and answer N/A for non-applicable fields) Name: ______________________________________________________________ ASCLS Membership #: ______________________________ Name of MLT/MLS program and graduation year: ______________________________________________ Current laboratory employer and years in position: ______________________________________________ Have you previously attended the ASCLS-IL Annual Meeting?: (YES/NO) Home Address: __________________________________________________________________________ Phone: (_____)________-__________________ Email*: ________________________________________________________ ASCLS-IL Committee Interest Specify the ASCLS-IL committee you intend to serve on in the year following receipt of the ASCLS-IL Future Leaders Scholarship. A full list and contact information is available on the ASCLS-IL website (http://asclsil.com/About_Chairs.html). Please note that availability of committee positions and activity of committees are subject to change. An expression of preference for a committee on this application is not a guarantee of placement on that committee. Committee Preference: ______________________________________________________
PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM, STATEMENT OF LEADERSHIP INTEREST & GOALS, AND REFERENCE LETTER BY March 15th TO:
Michelle R. Campbell, Scholarship Chair: [email protected]
*Note that all correspondence regarding the ASCLS Future Leaders Scholarship will occur via email. Please
include an email address that you check on a regular basis
WINTER 2020 PAGE 10
INFORMATION FOR ELLEN MCGILL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship is named in honor of Ellen McGill who was a long-time medical technologist in the Chicago area. Ellen was an active member in ASCLS-IL (formerly ICLSA) and a past president. She was the Director of the School of Medical Technology at Illinois Masonic Hospital. This scholarship was started to honor Ellen’s contributions to the profession. This scholarship will be awarded to an active member of ASCLS-IL that has not
previously attended Legislative Symposium in March or the ASCLS National Meeting
in July to pay for expenses. Two scholarships of up to $750 each may be awarded
annually. Funding is available to cover relevant expenses including cost of travel,
registration fees and meals up to $750. All receipts must be submitted to the ASCLS-IL
Treasurer. Award recipients will be required to write an article for the ASCLS-IL
newsletter summarizing their experience at Legislative Days or the National Meeting.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS
ELIGIBILITY: Candidate must be an Active Member INCLUDING First Year Professional and Student Forum Members of ASCLS-IL, in the society at the local or state level, has not previously attended Legislative Days or the National ASCLS Meeting, and express a commitment to serve on the ASCLS-IL Board of Directors. REFERENCE: A member of the ASCLS-IL Board of Directors must submit a letter on behalf of the candidate describing the candidate’s involvement in the society to date as well as his or her potential for future contributions to the society. DEADLINE: Completed Application and materials for scholarships to the June ASCLS National Meeting must be received by May 1st. AWARD: Notification of awards will be made by May 15th. An email will be sent to the recipient informing him or
her of the award.
SELECTION CRITERIA IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FULL CONSIDERATION FOR THE ASCLS-IL-ELLEN McGILL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP THE CANDIDATE MUST: 1. Be a PF1, PF2, or student member of ASCLS and a resident of Illinois. 2. Demonstrate prior involvement in the society at the local or state level. 3. Demonstrate the potential for future leadership on the ASCLS-IL Board of Directors. 4. Application must be for a meeting the applicant has not previously attended.
WINTER 2020 PAGE 11
INFORMATION FOR ELLEN MCGILL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP,
CONT.
STATEMENT OF LEADERSHIP INTERESTS AND GOALS Applicants are selected based on their past involvement and potential future contributions to the society. The candidate will submit a short biographical essay which, at a minimum, should address the following topics: 1. Past involvement in the society. 2. Goals and interests for future involvement in the society. 3. Ideas for the growth and activities of the society. 4. Reasons for attending Legislative Days or the ASCLS National Meeting including what you expect to learn and how you will use that information to the betterment of yourself, your employer, and the society. 5. Explanation of the need for this scholarship to support your attendance at the meeting.
QUESTIONS?
Please visit the following link: http://www.asclsil.com/Scholarships_Ellen.html
-or- Contact Michelle Campbell: [email protected]
CHICAGO BRANCH NEWS
WINTER 2020 PAGE 12
Chicago Society for Clinical Laboratory Science News
By: Jennifer Snowdon
On November 24th, the Chicago Society for Clinical Laboratory Science held their
annual Christmas tree decorating event! With hot chocolate, treats, and lots of cheer they decorated a tree they sponsored with laboratory and science-themed Christmas ornaments! Each year a tree is sponsored at the zoo to promote our profession within
the local community!
By: Josephine Ebomoyi, Ph.D., MSPH, M (ASCP) ASCLS-IL Board Member-At-Large (2019-2021)
One of the highlights of my life is imparting knowledge and making a positive difference in peoples’ lives. It was for this reason that I took a job, and I drive more than 60 miles, to interact with students and educate them about clinical microbiology at Northern Illinois University (NIU). I always use an approach not only to make them successful in their exams but also make them aware of how microbiology or the particular concepts affect everyday living and how they can become good stewards of their chosen profession. It is a common worldwide phenomenon that many people do not know about our medical laboratory science profession. Yet we play such significant roles in the health and well-being of individuals, whether sick or healthy. It is essential to create awareness and make an impact on the young minds to become aware of various career choices available so that they begin to appreciate the connections at an early age. Yorkville High school had a career fair and invited NIU. We get frequent invitations forwarded to us (MLS
department) to various events, but because we are always busy during the semester, it is usually challenging to
honor them. But let's make time to attend events that provide an opportunity to promote the MLS profession
because it is crucial to create awareness for the young minds. The event date this time fell on a day that I did
not have any teaching or committee engagements. I volunteered to attend a career fair and represent NIU in
the health section. It was a huge success and a personally rewarding and memorable experience. When I
returned, I wrote a short report to let my colleagues know about my experience, and they were thankful for the
representation. I received favorable comments from them. See below for a synopsis of the short report on the
career fair and three quick catchphrase statements to get students’ attention.
Career Fair Summary Report
On November 19, 2019, District 115 Yorkville Community School District held a career fair at Yorkville High School, Yorkville. NIU honored the invitation to participate. I volunteered to attend. I did my homework to be creative and think of ways to get students’ attention (see tips for success below). At the event, students had to pass through the aisle in between different vendor tables. To initiate discussion, I used three quick statements/questions (see the suggested method to initiate discussion) to invite students to my table. Many were excited about science and knowing the focus of Medical Lab Science as well as other Health Science majors at NIU. I had three demos that looked real: fake blood, the fake bacteria streak plate, and the fake antibiotic sensitivity plate. These were good demos to get their attention further as I explained the uniqueness of how our MLS duties apply to our lives and how we diagnose and recommend treatment for various diseases. Most of them were intrigued. Some students filled out the NIU information card and dropped them in the designated bucket. Others were encouraged to complete and return later by mail or go on-line to apply when they were ready. Many students inquired about the following disciplines in NIU: Forensic Science, Psychology, Psychiatry, Veterinary Medicine, and Nursing. Some took the pamphlets for the Health disciplines displayed on my table. Interacting with the students was a hugely rewarding experience for me. I had interesting conversations regarding their plans for the future. Many were clueless about their interests, while others were certain that they did not like science. I am happy that I have played a role in providing awareness and guidance for possible future choices that they may have. I brought back many completed NIU information cards. Observing their innocence and uncertainty brought a lot of memories to me when I was about their age. It was a pleasure to be part of the career fair, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve.
WINTER 2020 PAGE 13
A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE WITH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WHILE PROMOTING MLS PROFESSION DURING A CAREER FAIR
Other Interesting Outcomes: An excited young lady that already has admission to the Nursing Program at NIU stopped to say “hello.” She will be starting school in the fall of 2020. Also, one of the other vendors was a Business major graduate of NIU. She stopped to say hello and explained her current role in the printing company she was promoting. Future Consideration: I want to use this opportunity to request tips and ideas that readers may have. The three statements/question idea was a great way to get children’s initial attention. If anyone has any way to improve or modify it, please let me know ([email protected]). A concerted effort is needed to ensure that we maintain awareness among our youth and future students. Suggested Tips For Success In Promoting Our MLS Profession Among High School Kids:
• Have items that will draw attention to your table • Have good demos that depict our profession • Have pamphlets that describe various health-related professions- This will ensure that you can answer their inquiries and also relate it to the role that MLS would play • Have forms that they can complete and submit • Ask them if they remember any experience of blood collection, specimen requests, submission of any specimen to the lab or instances with Physician visits when they (or family members) were ill. • Demonstrate using fake Props in a way that has personal meaning • Have some give-away at your table • Be friendly and approachable with an inviting smile (no pressure) • Ask empowering questions that make them think
Dr. Josephine Ebomoyi by the display table at Yorkville Community High School Career Fair
WINTER 2020 PAGE 14
A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE WITH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WHILE PROMOTING MLS PROFESSION DURING A CAREER FAIR,CONT.
WINTER 2020 PAGE 15
A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE WITH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WHILE PROMOTING MLS PROFESSION DURING A CAREER FAIR,CONT.
THE SUGGESTED METHOD TO INITIATE A DISCUSSION ABOUT MEDICAL LAB SCIENCE WITH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS:
LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE?
LIKE SCIENCE?
LIKE TO WORK WITH
YOUR HANDS?
WINTER 2020 PAGE 16
NEW FDA STRATEGY FOR RAPID DETECTION OF NOVEL CORONAVIURS
The deadly Novel Coronavirus, also formally known as 2019-nCoV, is an unprecedented public health crisis confronting the world. On December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of an outbreak of a “pneumonia of unknown cause” detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China – the seventh-largest city in China with 11 million residents (1). What began as an epidemic localized within the China region has become an international pandemic internationally due to airplanes and other modes of transportation. As of February 8th , 2020, six weeks after the first reported confirmed case, there are approximately 34,947 confirmed new Coronaviruses reported resulting in 725 deaths (2) (3). Common signs of with Coronavirus include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection with this virus can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. Identification and Symptoms On January 10, 2020, gene sequencing determined that the new Wuhan coronavirus, is related to the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome virus (MERS-CoV) and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS-CoV) (4). Incubation Incubation period is defined as the time between infection and the onset of clinical symptoms of disease. Based on research data from other related coronavirus diseases, such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, the incubation period for this virus is 14 days. The current belief is that the incubation period of 2019-nCoV could be up to 14 days, as well. These estimates will be refined as more data become available. In order to gather additional data, WHO recommends that individuals in contact with confirmed cases should conduct a follow-up in 14 days (4). Treatment As laboratory professionals we know that antibiotics do not work against viruses, they only work on bacterial infections. The 2019-nCoV is a virus and therefore, antibiotics cannot be used as a means of prevention or treatment. To date, there is no cure for the Novel Coronavirus. Medical personnel are treating the symptoms for best measure. If symptoms of people with 2019-nCoV infection are not treated, the flu, or a cold typically develop respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough and runny nose which can lead to severity levels even death (4). Quicker Detection of Infection Cases Critical Rapid and accurate identification of viruses is an important component of outbreak investigations for global epidemiologic surveillance. Due to the international epidemic impact of the 2019 n-CoV, early detection of new cases is critical. As a result, healthcare professionals have concluded that there is an urgent need for quicker testing measures of potential cases. On February 4, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an authorization to enable emergency use of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), this test had been limited only to use at CDC laboratories. The new FDA’s sanction allows for the use of CDC’s test kits at any CDC-qualified lab across the country and selected international labs (5). According to the AHA “Two hundred kits are being shipped to CDC-qualified state and local U.S. public health labs and another 200 to select international labs, with each kit able to test 700-800 patient samples” (5). As public health epidemiologists examine incoming data to try and determine when the virus may peak, a growing strategy to deal with early detection and containment has become a pressing international priority.
By: Eleanor Wolfram, CPH, QLC
WINTER 2020 PAGE 17
Eleanor Wolfram is a public health quality auditor.
NEW FDA STRATEGY FOR RAPID DETECTION OF NOVEL CORONAVIURS,CONT.
FDA’s new strategy for increasing the accessibility of CDC’s test kits to multiple national and international labs, will undoubtedly speed the rapid diagnosis of the Coronavirus. References (1) WHO Statement Regarding Cluster of Pneumonia Cases in Wuhan, China. www.who.int/china/news/detail/09-01-2020-who-statement-regarding-cluster-of-pneumonia-cases-in-wuhan-china. Accessed: January 29, 2020. (2) Wuhan Coronavirus Now: Deaths & Map of Confirmed Cases Worldwide [February 8]. www.heavy.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-map-deaths-cases-wuhan-february-8/ Accessed: February 9, 2020. (3) 60-year-old-us-citizen-wuhan-died-from-coronavirus-report-2020-2. /kill 724 people and infected nearly 35,000 worldwide. REF: www.businessinsider.com/60-year-old-us-citizen-wuhan-died-from-coronavirus-report-2020-2. Accessed: February 7, 2020. (4) WHO Health Topics: Coronavirus. www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus. Accessed: February 4, 2020. (5) FDA issues emergency authorization for CDC novel.www.aha.org/news/headline/2020-02-05-fda-issues-emergency-authorization-cdc-novel-coronavirus-test-kits. www.aha.org/news/headline/2020-02-05-fda. Accessed: February 6, 2020.
SIMULATION LAB AT NIU MLS PROGRAM
WINTER 2020 PAGE 18
During the last week of the fall semester, a simulation lab was set up to provide our first year Medical Laboratory Science students an opportunity to work together with their classmates to complete laboratory tests on patient specimens in an independent and timely fashion as would be required of them in a real clinical lab setting. We devoted an entire day to the simulation exercise. There were five simulations scheduled where each simulation lasted about one and one-half hours. A team of four to five students signed up for a particular simulation. They were given six different patient specimens with orders for various lab tests. They had to check for specimen integrity and had to determine the testing responsibilities of each team member. The tests they had to perform were tests that they learned how to perform during the semester. Students were responsible for taking necessary equipment temperatures and running the necessary quality control. A standard operating procedure manual was available for students to reference. Throughout the testing simulation, faculty and staff would pose as a doctor, nurse, or other hospital staff member. This allowed the students to practice communicating information with various health care professionals. Once students completed the tests, they had to document the results appropriately. Following the simulation, the students were asked to provide us feedback on their experience. Many of them responded that the simulation showed them how important it was to work as a team. This report was prepared by Ellen Olsen, M.S.Ed., MLS(ASCP)CM, POCS(AACC), Student Laboratory Manager at the MLS program of Northern Illinois University (NIU).
Featured are MLS students participating in the Simulation Lab
WINTER 2020 PAGE 19
ASCLS-IL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
ASCLS-IL is on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
Please make sure to our Facebook page: American Society for Clinical Laboratory
Science-Illinois
Please follow us on our Instagram and
Twitter accounts: ASCLS-IL!
#IAMASCLS, #LAB4LIFE
Check us out on facebook! https://www.facebook.com/ASCLS.IL?ref=br_tf Check out our website! www.asclsil.com Do you have an ASCLS or lab-related photo you would like shared on Instagram? Send an email to [email protected] or direct message us on Instagram.
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL LABORATORY–
SCIENCE - ILLINOIS
ASCLS-IL is an affiliate society of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) and one of five states in ASCLS Region VI, which also includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. ASCLS serves as the voice of all clinical laboratory professionals, creating a vision for the advancement of the clinical laboratory practice field, and advocating the value and the role of the profession ensuring safe, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient centered health care.
• Promoting the value of the profession to healthcare and the public
• Uniting the profession to speak with one voice
• Advocating on behalf of the profession
• Promoting professional independence
• Enhancing quality standards and patient safety
• Ensuring workplace safety
• Providing professional development opportunities
• Promoting expanded roles and contributions of clinical laboratory professionals to the healthcare team
• Increasing the diversity in the profession and expanding the voice and role of under-represented individuals and groups
Do you have examples/ideas of ways to promote the profession of Medical Laboratory Scientist? Ideas to increase ASCLS-IL membership? Are you interested in becoming more involved in ASCLS-IL? Are you an educator? Are you a writer? We are looking help for creating new student bowl questions! Are you a great party planner? We could use your help in planning the 2020 ASCLS-IL Annual Meeting! We are always looking for help and volunteers!
We’re on the web! www.asclsil.org
Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/
ASCLS.IL
We are always interested in articles for the newsletter
For any and all of the above, please feel free to contact the organization at:
WINTER 2020 PAGE 20
Follow us on Instagram! If there are photos, flyers, or anything you’d like to share, please email them to [email protected] and include a caption. www.instagram.com/ascls.il
ASCLS-IL Insights Editors:
Editor-in-Chief: Masih Shokrani, Ph.D., MT(ASCP) [email protected] Copy Editor: Michelle Campbell, M.S., MLS, MB (ASCP)
