McCauley on clinical laboratory science student preparedness

Georgia A. Lawver McCauley (2008, June). Perceptions of clinical laboratory practitioners of clinical laboratory science student preparedness for the workplace: A Q methodological study. Doctoral dissertation, Northcentral University (Prescott Valley, AZ).

Abstract: The purpose of the Q methodological study was to investigate and evaluate the viewpoints of clinical laboratory science (CLS) practitioners about the preparedness of the clinical laboratory science student for the workplace. Q methodology is a research design that provides a foundation for the systematic study of subjectivity. The study provided the CLS educators with the opportunity to see the efficacy of CLS curricula as perceived by employers. Clinical laboratory employers and educators are concerned about the escalating nationwide shortage of clinical laboratory workers. The shortage is compounded by fewer graduates of accredited clinical laboratory science programs and changes in the clinical laboratory workplace environment. The combined efforts of laboratory administrators, educators, and professional organizations will be required to address the staffing crisis in the laboratory profession. Educators in accredited programs will need to adjust curricular paradigms to address the new standards for the work environment, laboratory administrators must actively support the clinical practice component of education, and members of clinical laboratory professional organizations must promote and support the clinical laboratory science profession. The study identifies workplace competencies needed by entry-level clinical laboratory science professionals in the contemporary clinical laboratory workplace.

Georgia McCauley <mccauley@wssu.edu>is Assistant Professor (Hematology) in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, School of Health Sciences, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem NC.