Providing opportunities for interprofessional education (IPE) positively influences team functioning and plays a key role in reducing preventable adverse events. Competencies such as effective communication and role clarification which foster mutual respect, are essential for nursing and medical laboratory technologist graduates entering the workplace. To develop these skills, undergraduate students at Ontario Tech University require IPE opportunities, yet with the pandemic, restrictions made in-person simulation impossible. This presentation will describe the process of developing an evidence-informed virtual simulation game to engage BScN and MLSc in IPE to enhance learning and promote reflection.

At the end of this session you will be able to:

• Discuss the benefit of interprofessional education during undergraduate studies to advance quality care.
• Describe the process for creating an online virtual simulation game to continue IPE during a pandemic.
• Explain the value of reflective debriefing used in interprofessional simulation to maximize learning.

Speakers: L. Graham RN MN PhD (c) CNCC CHSE and H. Goulding MLT BAHSc MA

Blue top citrate tube collection and processing requires all laboratory personnel to follow strict sample protocols for the accurate and timely delivery of life-saving coagulation results. This lecture will provide solutions to some of the commonly encountered difficulties with blue top samples and provide guidance as to how to properly order unfamiliar or ambiguous coagulation test requests, along with current COVID-19 testing recommendations. The target audience for this lecture is Medical Laboratory Assistants and Technologists who perform phlebotomy.

At the end of this session you will be able to:

• Provide a brief review of the hemostasis system and how it relates to coagulation testing requirements
• Identify the pre-analytical causes for blue top tube redraws and coagulation testing errors
• Identify and clarify common errors in coagulation test ordering

Speaker: Terence Litavec, BSc, MLT, SH(ASCP)

CSMLS conducts The Newly Certified Graduate Employment Survey annually and polls graduates one year after their certification date. The information we collect is focused on the graduate’s experience and the pathways they take to achieve employment and also assess the labour market, to see how well the new grads are integrating and entering into the profession. The work environment our members encounter is dynamic and evolving and we are able to use the information collected to inform everyone involved. This session will examine the previous four years and will discuss observed trends, progress and concerns.

At the end of this session you will be able to:

• Recognize the challenges faced by Newly Certified Medical Laboratory Professionals (MLPs)
• Understand the important job characteristics MLPs are looking for
• Identify trends in Medical Laboratory Science that impact newly certified MLPs

Speakers: Christine Nielsen, MBA(C), BHA, MLT, CAE and Brandon Djukic, BSc, PhD