Continuing professional development (CPD) training needs assessment for medical laboratory professionals in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Continuing professional development (CPD) is required for health workers in practice to update knowledge and skills regularly to match the changing complexity of healthcare needs. The objective of this study was to identify the training needs of Medical Laboratory professionals in Ethiopia.

METHODS

A total of 457 medical laboratory professionals from five regions and two city administrations were involved in the study. Data were collected from August 02 to 21, 2021 with structured self-administered online tool with five-point Likert scale. The tool had consent, demography, cross-cutting issues, and main activity area specific to medical laboratory.

RESULTS

Majority of the participants were male (80.1%). Participants from Amhara region 110 (24.1%) were the largest groups in the survey followed by Oromia 105 (23%) and Addis Ababa 101 (22.1%). The study participants comprised 54.7% with a bachelor's degree, 31.3% with a diploma (associate degree), and 14% with a master's degree. The participants had varying years of service, ranging from less than one year to over 10 years of experience. Most of the participants work as generalists (24.1%) followed by working in microbiology (17.5%) and parasitology (16%). The majority (96.9%) were working in a public sector or training institutions and the rest were employed in the private sector. Our study showed that the three most important topics selected for training in the cross-cutting health issues were health and emerging technology, computer skills and medico-legal issues. Topics under microbiology, clinical chemistry and molecular diagnostics were selected as the most preferred technical areas for training. Participants have also selected priority topics under research skill and pathophysiology. When the laboratory specific issues were regrouped based on areas of application as technical competence, research skill and pathophysiology, thirteen topics under technical competence, four topics under research skill and three topics under pathophysiology were picked as priority areas.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our study identified that CPD programs should focus on topics that address technical competence in microbiology, clinical chemistry and molecular diagnostics. Additionally competencies in research skill and updating knowledge in pathophysiology should also receive due attention in designing trainings.

Workplace Bullying in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

OBJECTIVES

The specific aims of the study are to explore the prevalence of workplace bullying and to understand the impact of bullying on individual wellness in order to facilitate the development of future organizational solutions to mitigate workplace incivility.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data were collected via a web-based survey to gather exploratory demographic information and to assess the relationships between intensity of the exposure to the negative acts with laboratory productivity. Associations between laboratories offering resources to employees and their impacts on productivity and professional job fulfillment were also explored.

RESULTS

Results of the survey showed that over two-thirds of laboratorians (68.56%) were classified as victims of workplace bullying, and the perpetrator is most likely a peer of the victim (55.3%). The study revealed the intensity of workplace incivility was positively correlated with the number of sick days taken by the laboratory practitioner (F(2, 217) = 24.245, P < .001). Facilities with a supportive work environment were also associated with a reduction in the number of sick mental days taken (P < .001), a proxy for improved work and health outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study shed light on the prevalence of incivility at the workplace and offer evidence on the importance of providing a supportive work environment toward reducing workplace bullying.

Influence of Certification on a Pathology Laboratory Professional's Career Mobility

OBJECTIVES

Competency in managing laboratory careers is important for retaining and ensuring a well-trained laboratory workforce. The objective of this study was to identify predictors for career advancement in pathology laboratories-specifically, whether the number of certifications obtained affects career mobility beyond what is accounted for with personality, gender, experience, and tenure.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from nonphysician laboratory professionals were collected through a web-based survey tool. These data were examined in the context of a binary logistic regression model to assess how well independent variables predict career advancement.

RESULTS

We included 170 responses in the analysis. According to the statistical model, the odds of career advancement is significant-70% higher for every additional certification a laboratory profession obtains (P = .018), with other predictors being equal. Moreover, technologists with an outgoing personality (ie, extroverts) are 178% more likely to be promoted from entry-level positions than are introverts (P = .045), all else being equal. The number of years the employee has been with the laboratory (tenure) also contributes significantly to promotion (P = .012). Surprisingly, gender and industry experience do not contribute significantly to laboratory mobility and advancement, after accounting for the other variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Laboratories should provide incentives for obtaining certifications as a way to improve quality and retain workforce talent.

On Pathology Laboratory Recruitment and Retention

OBJECTIVES

The specific aims of the study are to analyze relationships between the personality traits of laboratory professionals and choice of profession and preferred work settings.

METHODS

Data from practicing laboratory professionals were collected via a web-based survey tool to gather information about personality types, choice of profession, and work setting preferences among medical laboratory professionals.

RESULTS

Results of the survey showed that INFJ (Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judging) is the most common medical laboratory personality type across the various laboratory work settings and that there are no significant differences between the practitioners' personality type and the choice of profession within pathology. The study revealed laboratorians from higher-volume laboratories were 1.2 times more likely to prefer Judging than lower-volume laboratories, and younger medical laboratory practitioners were 2.3 times more likely to gravitate toward Perceiving than their older counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study shed light on how employers can build on the personality preferences of the laboratory workforce to improve personal job satisfaction and laboratory productivity, quality, and work culture. The research implications are useful for laboratory recruitment and retention.

The American Society for Clinical Pathology's Job Satisfaction, Well-Being, and Burnout Survey of Laboratory Professionals

OBJECTIVES

To examine job satisfaction, well-being, job stress, and burnout among laboratory professionals.

METHODS

The study utilized a cross-sectional survey design. The survey was administered online via the American Society for Clinical Pathology's survey tool, to elicit information about job satisfaction, well-being, job stress, and burnout among medical laboratory professionals.

RESULTS

Although this survey shows high job satisfaction among respondents, overall job-related stress is high and burnout is prevalent. The majority of the respondents rated their work-life balance as "fair." The main contributing factors to job stress, burnout, and work-life balance are quantity of workload and understaffing.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of this survey, creating targeted interventions may help improve the quality of well-being programs for laboratory professionals. A comprehensive wellness program developed at the institutional, local, and national levels may improve morale and alleviate the recruitment and retention challenges faced by medical laboratory professionals.

Intentions to leave and associated factors among laboratory professionals working at Amhara National Regional State public hospitals, Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study

Objective

Laboratory professionals play a vital role in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. Knowledge of workplace variables that either motivates staff to keep working or quit their jobs is important for decision making. Thus, this study aimed to assess intentions to leave workplace and associated factors among laboratory professionals working at public hospitals of the Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia.

Results

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 16 to March 14, 2016, among 336 randomly selected laboratory professionals. The study revealed that 65.5% (95% CI 60–70) of professionals had intentions to leave their hospitals. Dissatisfaction with the provision of educational opportunities (AOR: 3.59, 95% CI 1.61–7.99), poor pays and benefits (AOR: 3.89, 95% CI 1.53–9.89), lack of recognition (AOR: 2.69, 95% CI 1.35–5.38), poor working environments (AOR: 2.77, 95% CI 1.45–3.30), high workload (AOR: 1.94, 95% CI 1.04–3.63), low affective commitment (AOR: 2.05, 95% CI 1.10–3.82), and being unmarried (AOR: 2.46, 95% CI 1.32–4.58) were factors significantly associated with intentions to leave. Magnitude of laboratory professionals’ intention to leave was so high. Healthcare policymakers and hospital managers need to develop and institutionalize evidence-based retention strategies to reduce the intention of laboratory professionals to leave their workplace.

Building a laboratory workforce to meet the future: ASCP Task Force on the Laboratory Professionals Workforce

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the demand for services from the nation's medical laboratories, which is predicted to dramatically increase as our citizens age and millions receive insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

METHODS

A systematic review of relevant publications and databases was conducted to assess the current state of the nation's medical laboratory workforce and to examine the impact of population demographics and health reform on workforce development to address the future demand for laboratory services.

RESULTS

Building a Laboratory Workforce to Meet the Future, a new report from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), provides a comprehensive strategy to address the future workforce needs of the nation's medical laboratories to meet this demand to provide timely, accurate, and safe patient care and to fully realize the benefits of personalized medicine.

CONCLUSIONS

The report, from the ASCP Task Force on the Laboratory Professionals Workforce, is a comprehensive review of the myriad of factors affecting recruitment and retention of qualified laboratory professionals and provides a set of thoughtful recommendations outlining a multifaceted approach to bolster the pipeline of potential candidates for the profession as well as leadership in health care.