Volume 65 - Winter 1996	Download

President's report by Cynthia Wells, EdD, CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP) President, Board of Directors

From my vantage point, 1996 has been a very successful year for NAACLS. The cumulative efforts of our volunteers and small staff will have a profound impact on clinical laboratory science education. I extend my sincere appreciation to each of you who has supported NAACLS over the past year.

Our recognition by the United States Department of Education (USDE) represents a major accomplishment. Reviewed as a new agency in spite of our previous recognition under the CAHEA umbrella, NAACLS was granted three years of continuing recognition. This means that NAACLS has substantially met requirements of the Higher Education Act. We expect that the three year period will be extended to the full five years after we make minor modifications to existing policies.

In 1995, we adopted new Essentials for all of our accredited programs. Their implementation began in 1996. We are very pleased with the positive responses to the new versions. Program directors indicate that the move to outcomes assessment has provided greater flexibility in improving their programs and in meeting the challenges of the current healthcare environment.

NAACLS is in a very strong financial position as a result of two initiatives. The first is the final step of the two step fee increase for accredited and approved programs. The second initiative is continuing our ongoing efforts to provide high quality service at low cost. Be assured that the Board of Directors, the committees and our staff will make every effort to hold the line on expenses.

We are very disturbed by the number of programs that closed during the last cycle. We expect this will continue until stability is achieved in the marketplace. We are encouraged that these closures will be partially negated by the opening of several new programs. Hopefully, this trend will continue.

We recently conducted the first site visits of pathologists' assistant programs. This is a significant milestone in NAACLS' efforts to improve education in the laboratory sciences. The first accreditation recommendations will be presented to the board at its April 1997 meeting.

In our continuing efforts to be responsive to the needs of our communities of interest, the board has approved draft Standards for an Approved Clinical Assistant Program. For a couple of years, we studied the environment to determine the need for an approval process for laboratory assistant programs. As a result, a task force was appointed to develop the process. The task force recommended that the name be changed to Clinical Assistant (CA).

The task force found that the content of laboratory assistant programs varied across the country. As a result, a modular approach to the curriculum was developed. This means that an institution will be able to choose the content areas that meet the needs of its specific geographic area. We solicit your input regarding the Standards and Competencies. Copies of the draft documents are available from NAACLS, and your comments will be very much appreciated. Open hearings on the Standards will be conducted at national meetings over the next months.

Lastly, but most importantly, the board has adopted a new mission statement. We are very proud of the new statement and plan to use it extensively in our work. The full text of the mission statement appears to the right, and you will find the abbreviated statement on the front page of the newsletter. It will be the foundation for two important projects to be conducted during 1997. The Board of Directors will develop a strategic plan to lead the organization into the new millennium. In addition, we will conduct a customer satisfaction survey.

If you are part of the survey sample identified, please participate. Your input is essential to the development of relevant action plans. As always, please contact board or committee members or staff if you have questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued support.

Top of the News
			Applicants: quality and quantity by Brenta G. Davis, EdD, MT(ASCP), CLS Former Secretary, NAACLS Board of Directors
			Causes cited for decreasing numbers of clinical affiliates by Cecile M. Sanders, MEd, MT(ASCP) CLSPRC Member
			Congratulations to newly accredited and approved programs
			Cost of developing a student laboratory in an academic setting by Jean Holter, EdD and Mary Jean Rutherford, MEd, MT(ASCP)SC
			Mission statement of NAACLS
			Multisite case study of CLT/MLT-AD program closures by Nancy C. Johnson, PhD, MT(ASCP) CLS/MT Program Director, Walter Reed Army Medical Center
			NAACLS Seeks New Board and Committee Members
			NAACLS to hold an open hearing for the Clinical Assistant Standards
			NAACLS welcomes new board and committee members
			Preparation, protocol and communication for a site visit by George J. Payan Program Coordinator
Features
			Announcing upcoming site visits
			Bits 'n' pieces
			Dear Dr. NAACLS Honesty and disclosure on the part of the program
			Executive Director's corner by Olive M. Kimball, EdD, MT(ASCP) Executive Director
			President's report by Cynthia Wells, EdD, CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP) President, Board of Directors

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