My favorite time of year is finally here: Lab Week! Did you know that Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (MLPW) is celebrating its 50th anniversary? According to the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), MLPW originated in 1975. COLA is excited to be part of the MLPW Coalition. This coalition’s goal is to “increase public understanding of and appreciation for clinical laboratory personnel.” They do this through social media campaigns, official logos and a fun run, among other games and activities.
I have always loved Lab Week celebrations wherever I have been practicing. Lab Week is a time for the laboratory to be recognized by administrators, clinicians and ourselves for all the important work that we do! It was wonderful to have hospital administrators visit the laboratory areas to see us at work. It felt great to have other staff come into the laboratory and remind us that what we did mattered and was critical to patient care. I have always loved the celebratory vibe of the week, and the fact that it’s typically celebrated at the beginning of spring after a cold winter only adds to the excitement. I have attended some delicious potlucks and usually brought my homemade guacamole. I loved the games too. Even though I always tried to interact respectfully with all members of the laboratory staff, this week provided a completely different environment in which to interact. It enabled me to talk to some colleagues that I wouldn’t normally get to speak to. While playing one of my favorite games, Guess Who? with baby pictures, I got to learn so much more about everyone in the laboratory, from technologists to managers to administrative assistants. While participating in a white elephant gift exchange, I got to know some stories about laboratory personnel and their families. In general, it was a time of togetherness and collegiality.
Beyond all the fun and games, something much more important occurs during this week of celebrations: communication and collaboration between all members of the laboratory staff. Communication is the cornerstone of a positive working environment and is critical to providing accurate and timely results. Those in the laboratory who don’t really get into the spirit of the week and treat it just like any other are missing out on the long-term collaborative benefits. I recall during my early practice years, I had some trouble using the polarizing microscope to look for gout crystals. Luckily, my friend, a senior technologist in hematology, willingly and happily gave me a hand. Another time a cytotechnologist I worked with approached me after hours with some “funny looking cell clusters” on a pleural fluid. Because of our relationship and her fast thinking, we were able to pre-order immunohistochemical stains on the cell block and were able to diagnose the patient with metastatic breast carcinoma the next day. When we get to know one another on a personal level, communication comes much easier, ultimately to the benefit of our patients.
I hope you all have a great Lab Week and get a chance to celebrate our hard work and contributions to the field of medicine! I am gearing up for competitive word searching and crossword puzzles!