ASCLS Awareness Guide for State Presidents and Region Directors

1. ASCLS Awareness Guide for State Presidents and Region Directors By: Lisa Bakken, Kristin Burrmann, and Christine Hinz

2. Purpose: • To provide a month by month “at a glance” guide for activities, events, and reminders for ASCLS members to utilize • This guide can be used by all members at the local, state, and national level, but is especially designed for distribution from state presidents and regional directors

3. January Government Affairs Committee (GAC) February NMLPW, Awards & Scholarships March Leadership Development April DCLS & Career Ladder May Membership June New Professionals July Annual Meeting & Membership Renewal August State Revitalization September Student (Forum & Scholarships) October Career Recruitment November Continuing Education December Scientific Assembly & CLS Journal ASCLS Year at a Glance

4. JANUARYGovernment Affairs Committee (GAC) • Now More Than Ever… Our Profession Needs A Voice in Government • For questions about regulatory issues and state and national legislative issues, please contact Rick Panning at 612-262-5012 or rick.panning@allina.com • Contact information for the GAC committee members can be found at: http://www.ascls.org/members/leadership/Leadership%20Directory/committees/pub-gac.pdf

5. JANUARYGovernment Affairs Committee (GAC) • Laboratory professionals must take an active role to see that congressional reforms of American health care support cost-effective, high-quality clinical laboratory services. • The GAC committee keeps fellow professionals informed and helps to ensure capable people are elected to Congress to enact responsible reforms in America’s health service delivery system.

6. JANUARYGovernment Affairs Committee (GAC) Current Issues Impacting Our Profession: Positions and Policies Advancing Our Profession ASCLS Federal Activities ASCLS Advocacy Center Action Alerts ASCLS Responds - Speaking Out for Our Members Guide to ASCLS Advocacy for State Licensure

7. FebruaryNational Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (NMLPW) • National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (NMLPW): • The celebration of NMLPW helps to increase recognition for the profession, while simultaneously improving the individual practitioner's sense of self-worth. • As the various professional groups within laboratory practice work together on this project, the sense of unity and purpose necessary to further the goals of all laboratorians are reinforced.

8. FebruaryNMLPW - Links

9. FebruaryAwards • ASCLS offers many awards that can be presented to our members. • They include: CLS Distinguished Author, E & R scholarships, grants, and awards, Forum for Concerns of Minorities, and Keys to the Future. • Nominations for ASCLS Awards are typically February 15 • Societies are encouraged to enter as many award categories as they wish. • For more information, go to : http://www.ascls.org/leadership/awards/docs/awardsguidelines.doc

10. FebruaryScholarships • ASCLS generously offers many scholarships to its members through the Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity and the ASCLS Education and Research (E&R) fund. • This information is usually disseminated through a Program Director, members in each state society should be made aware by word of mouth, discussion at Spring Meetings, or in the newsletter. • Applications are available at www.ascls.org/leadership/awards/amt.asp. Completed applications can be submitted via e-mail to www.alphamutaujoe@yahoo.com or by mail to Joe Briden, AMTF Scholarship Coordinator, 7809 S. 21st Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85041-7736 (#10, self-addressed/stamped envelope required. Others will not be recognized.)

12. FebruaryScholarships (continued)

13. MarchLeadership Development • Leadership Development Committee References & Resources - LDC manual (pdf format)- Examples of Constituent Society SOP's/Job DescriptionsExample #1Example #2- How to Conduct a Meeting- How to Plan and Present a Leadership Retreat (pdf format)- Mentoring SOP (pdf format)- NEW - Mentoring Training Program-online training to be an ASCLS mentor- Short Term Volunteer Activities (pdf format)- Reference Materials for Leadership Development (pdf format) • PowerPoint Presentations • Students Are Our Future (ppt format) • Remember When We Loved Our Jobs (pdf format) - a motivational presentation given at the 2007 Annual Meeting • The Art of Delegation (pdf format) - a presentation given at the 2007 Annual Meeting

14. MarchLeadership Development • Leadership Academy • Designed to prepare ASCLS members for current and future leadership roles in the organization by providing a structured program of study of critical leadership topics. • Chair: Lynn Ingram • For the curriculum, past projects, and application, go to: http://www.ascls.org/members/Academy/index.asp

15. AprilDCLS & Career Ladder • ASCLS has been very active in advocating for advanced practice degrees in the laboratory field. • Encouraged the creation of a Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science, so that laboratorians may better contribute to interdisciplinary health care teams. • Doctorate should be viewed as part of the ASCLS Career Ladder, a model of which was accepted in July 2004 by the House of Delegates. • The Advanced Practice Scientist III level represents the professional doctorate degree in Clinical Laboratory Science. At this level of practice, the CLS is expected to serve in consultant roles, perform patient assessments to determine clinical status of the patient, and manage patient laboratory data as part of the health care team.

16. AprilDCLS & Career Ladder • For more information about the Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science, the ASCLS position can be found here: http://www.ascls.org/position/AdvPractice.asp • For the complete Model Career Ladder, the table created by the ASCLS Career Ladder Task Force can be found here: http://www.ascls.org/position/MCL.asp

17. MayMembership • The Membership Information page is full of useful tools, for both current and new members. • Current members can quickly and easily renew online. • New members can also sign up online, as well as view some resources explaining why they should join ASCLS. Some of these resources include: • The “Membership Matters” PowerPoint presentation • The benefits of membership • ASCLS history and structure • Membership categories • Information about scientific assemblies • Tools for recruiting members into the organization, and into the profession

18. MayMembership • Essential to target new professionals, such as students, and first year professionals. An easy way to reach these groups is at your state meeting. • New, young professionals may help in bringing new ideas to the organization, and the profession, and are the future of the laboratory. • Ensuring their involvement in ASCLS early will aide in the success of the organization, and is an opportunity to help shape new leaders. • Also, new professionals should be reminded of the many benefits ASCLS has to offer, including the required continuing education credits and the chance to attend state and national meetings.

19. JuneNew Professionals • ASCLS has created a niche for recent graduates of a laboratory science program: the First Year Professionals (FYP) membership category. • FYP status is open to those people who have graduated within the last 12 months from an accredited CLS program. • Membership fees are reduced, compared to the full Professional membership status, but FYP members still maintain full voting privileges. • The program assists new graduates with the cost of membership, while encouraging participation in a professional organization with full access to its benefits.

20. JuneNew Professionals • New Professionals Committee provides a variety of services: • Support to new members in the organization • Helps recruit new professionals to the career as well as to ASCLS • Offers an award for New Professional of the Year, in order to recognize significant contributions to the organization and to the profession. • ASCLS has also compiled some career resources, ideal for new graduates and professionals just out of school. It gives information regarding job outlook, salary, and career opportunities.

21. JuneNew Professionals • To view the contact information for the New Professionals Committee, go to: http://www.ascls.org/members/leadership/Leadership%20Directory/committees/pub-npc.pdf • To view the career resources available, go to: http://www.ascls.org/jobs/index.asp

22. JulyAnnual Meeting & Membership Renewal • Why attend the annual meeting? • Offers educational topics that promote advanced learning in the science and practice of clinical laboratory science • Opportunities to network, build social connections, and participate in governance/professional activities • The meeting is held in conjunction with the Clinical Lab Expo, the largest exhibit of clinical laboratory products in the world

23. JulyAnnual Meeting & Membership Renewal • Essential to maintain current members • Members should be reminded to renew, and should be followed up with if they do not renew. • Use of a list-serve • If members do not choose to renew, it is important to survey them to find out why. • If it is within reason for a state society to help members renew, then it should take action to keep its members active.

24. AugustState Revitalization • Strategic Outreach for State Societies (SOS2) • The State Revitalization Task Force characterized successful and at-risk state constituent societies, identified strategies for mentoring an at-risk society and developed a “Toolbox.” • Toolbox contains resources for building and/or strengthening state society infrastructure. • Provides a “one-stop-shop” that includes information, templates, and websites to aid state societies if searching for a specific resource.

25. AugustState Revitalization If you are concerned that your state society is in danger of folding, or you need to strengthen certain elements of your infrastructure, the following information is found on the ASCLS website: Use the link for the State Revitalization.

26. AugustState Revitalization • Regional and national contacts to assist the Regional Director and the at-risk society leadership: • Barbara Russell brussell@mcg.org • Linda Milson lindamilson@att.net • Nadine Fydryszewski fydrysna@umdnj.edu • Lisa Bakken ebakken@emc.org • Reyn Nakayama reyn@hawaii.rr.com • Cathy Robinson crobinson@lsua.edu • Paula M. Snipes Paula.Snipes@state.mn.us • Monique Dodd monique.dodd@tricore.org • If individual states cannot sustain independent constituent society status, develop a mechanism for combining more than one state in a particular geographic location • President, treasurer and membership recruitment person are key personnel in developing an alternative governance structure with the organization. • Provide communication to all members of the society with the minimal effort being an email or paper notification to the membership stating the status of the society and the request for alternative governance structure.

27. SeptemberStudent (Forum & Scholarships) • ASCLS has created the Student Forum to aid in getting students involved in their professional organization early. • It allows all students leadership opportunities and vigorously promotes all aspects of clinical laboratory science practice, education and management to ensure excellent, accessible cost-effective laboratory services for the consumers of health care. • Their website is aimed toward, but not limited to students in the Clinical Laboratory Science field. ASCLS values student involvement in their profession.

28. SeptemberStudent (Forum & Scholarships)

29. OctoberCareer Recruitment • Essential to recruit new members to the profession (without them, ASCLS would not exist!) • Tool kit created to help current laboratorians and educators speak at recruitment events (career days, etc.) and help promote the profession

30. OctoberCareer Recruitment • To view the Career Recruitment Tool Kit, go to: • http://www.ascls.org/Career/ToolKit.asp • To view resources, scholarship information, job outlook and salary, go to: • http://www.ascls.org/jobs/joboutlook.asp

31. NovemberContinuing Education • The ASCLS Continuing Education page not only explains P.A.C.E. credits and CE, but also lists some additional sources of CE, such as: • DNA MedEd Cafe Educational Webcasts • LabCE Online P.A.C.E. Courses • Attending the ASCLS e-meeting (the link shown is for the 2009 meeting) • Reading “Focus” articles in Clinical Laboratory Science • Attending state and national meetings, seminars, and conferences. A complete list of these meetings and conferences can be found at www.ascls.org.

32. NovemberContinuing Education • ASCLS also created a CE Organizer. This program: • Creates an official P.A.C.E. Certificate which can be printed as proof of CE completion • Generates a CE Transcript. A member can create and print a transcript of all CE activities for a calendar year, to efficiently track all CE throughout the year. • For questions regarding continuing education, contact Sherry Miner, ASCLS P.A.C.E. Coordinator: sherry@ascls.org

33. NovemberContinuing Education • Take advantage of your free CE! • Member Renewal Thank You • ASCLS is offering all 2009-10 PF1, PF2 & FYP members renewed by 10/31/2009 a ‘thank you’ gift of up to 6 free online quizzes in addition to other materials to assist with their CE requirement. • This offer will be repeated in 2010-11 as well! • Certification Maintenance Membership • Information is available at www.ascls.org/education

34. DecemberScientific Assembly & CLS Journal • Scientific Assemblies (SA) are open to all members • Can join one or two for no additional cost • Purpose: to draw together members from each specialty to share information, discuss trends, solve problems, and discuss new forms of technology • Most assemblies provide active bulletin board style discussion lists for regular member communication.

35. DecemberScientific Assembly & CLS Journal • Division of SA: • Chemistry/Urinalysis (01) • Microbiology (02) • Laboratory Administration (03) • Immunology/Immunohematology (04) • Hematology/Hemostasis (07) • Generalist/Public Health (08) • Industry (09) • Education (10) • Point of Care Testing/Phlebotomy (12) • Molecular Diagnostics/Genetics (13) • Consultants (14) • Regulatory Affairs/Quality Management (15)

36. DecemberScientific Assembly & CLS Journal • ASCLS produces a quarterly journal, Clinical Laboratory Science • Included as part of an individual’s membership • Contains updated information regarding new testing methodologies and case studies • Opportunity to earn continuing education credits • The CLS journal is always looking for authors • Go to http://www.ascls.org/leadership/cls/index.asp#Authors or contact Susan Leclair for the opportunity to publish. • Advertising space available

37. Thank you! • For questions on how to use this guide or for more information, please contact • Lisa Bakken ebakken@emc.org • Kristin Burrmann kristin.burrmann@yahoo.com • Christine Hinz christinew77@hotmail.com