Table 3 Ranking of training needs in technical competence according to pre-determined themes in laboratory specific issues, n = 457
Training needs | Ranking | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Most important n (%) | Important n (%) | Moderate importance n (%) | Low importance n (%) | No Importance n (%) | |
Laboratory management, leadership and coaching | |||||
Ethics and professionalism | 25 (5.5) | 33 (7.2) | 76 (16.7) | 135 (29.6) | 187 (41.0) |
Critical thinking and decision-making | 23 (5.0) | 30 (6.6) | 96 (21.1) | 146 (32.0) | 161 (35.3) |
Supervision and delegation | 30 (6.6) | 45 (9.9) | 106 (23.2) | 152 (33.3) | 123 (27.0) |
Data management, report writing and presentation skill | 26 (5.7) | 42 (9.2) | 89 (19.5) | 157 (34.4) | 142 (31.1) |
Basic cost accounting for clinical laboratory services | 46 (10.1) | 49 (10.7) | 104 (22.8) | 116 (25.4) | 141 (30.9) |
Management of resources and supplies | 26 (5.7) | 39 (8.6) | 102 (22.4) | 140 (30.7) | 149 (32.7) |
Medical equipment management | 27( 5.9) | 45 (9.9) | 93 (20.4) | 130 (28.5) | 161 (35.3) |
Work place Stress management and burn out prevention | 37 (8.1) | 62 (13.6) | 106 (23.2) | 135 (29.6) | 116 (25.4) |
Team building | 28 (6.1) | 34 (7.5) | 89 (19.5) | 142 (31.1) | 163 (35.7) |
Strategic planning | 38 (8.3) | 53 (11.6) | 110 (24.1) | 141 (30.9) | 114 (25.0) |
Rationale selection of testes | 30 (6.6) | 51 (11.2) | 100 (21.9) | 136 (29.8) | 139 (30.5) |
Training facilitation skill/ clinical laboratory teaching skills | 52 (11.4) | 67 (14.7) | 98 (21.5) | 140 (30.7) | 99 (21.7) |
Competency assessment | 39 (8.6) | 55 (12.1) | 86 (18.9) | 132 (28.9) | 144 (31.6) |
Accreditation and quality management | |||||
Evaluation and selection of analytical methods and equipment | 38 (8.3) | 64 (14.0) | 107 (23.5) | 145 (31.8) | 102 (22.4) |
Definition, establishment, and use of reference ranges | 36 (7.9) | 50 (11.0) | 92 (20.2) | 128 (28.1) | 150 (32.9) |
Point of care testing | 30 (6.6) | 44 (9.6) | 83 (18.2) | 139 (30.5) | 160 (35.1) |
Method validation and verification | 63 (13.8) | 64 (14.0) | 120 (26.3) | 130 (28.5) | 79 (17.3) |
Specimen management | 23 (5.0) | 28 (6.1) | 70 (15.4) | 123 (27.0) | 212 (46.5) |
Accreditation standards (ENAO, ISO15189) | 72 (15.8) | 69 (15.1) | 91 (20.0) | 123 (27.0) | 101 (22.1) |
Use of internal quality control (IQC) and external quality assessment (EQA) | 28 (6.1) | 36 (7.9) | 76 (16.7) | 106 (23.2) | 210 (46.1) |
Quality system essentials for medical laboratory | 28 (6.1) | 42 (9.2) | 72 (15.8) | 136 (29.8) | 178 (39.0) |
Preparation of standard operational procedures | 25 (5.5) | 44 (9.6) | 65 (14.3) | 124 (27.2) | 198 (43.4) |
Laboratory policies | 24 (5.3) | 32 (7.0) | 79 (17.3) | 124 (27.2) | 197 (43.2) |
Techniques to identify and control sources of errors in laboratory procedures | 23 (5.0) | 35 (7.7) | 104 (22.8) | 142 (31.1) | 152 (33.3) |
Management of non-conformances in laboratory service | 36 (7.9) | 55 (12.1) | 104 (22.8) | 161 (35.3) | 100 (21.9) |
Preparation and storage of reagents | 31 (6.8) | 42 (9.2) | 75 (16.4) | 129 (28.3) | 179 (39.3) |
Hematology | |||||
Perform and interpret Hemoglobin/hematocrit testing | 19 (4.2) | 13 (2.9) | 31 (6.8) | 73 (16.0) | 319 (70.1) |
Perform and interpret blood cell count | 22 (4.8) | 17 (3.7) | 47 (10.3) | 99 (21.8) | 270 (59.3) |
Perform and interpret WBC differential count | 24 (5.3) | 22 (4.8) | 65 (14.3) | 89 (19.5) | 256 (56.1) |
Perform and interpret RBC morphology assessment | 24 (5.3) | 46 (10.1) | 96 (21.1) | 128 (28.1) | 162 (35.5) |
Perform and interpret preparation and examination of thick and thin blood film | 18 (3.9) | 19 (4.2) | 39 (8.6) | 102 (22.4) | 278 (61.0) |
Perform blood collection | 16 (3.5) | 10 (2.2) | 20 (4.4) | 50 (11.0) | 360 (78.9) |
Perform and interpret Coagulation tests | 66 (14.5) | 68 (14.9) | 93 (20.4) | 102 (22.4) | 127 (27.9) |
Perform and interpret flow cytometry procedure | 64 (14.0) | 70 (15.4) | 81 (17.8) | 122 (26.8) | 119 (26.1) |
Immunohematology/blood bank | |||||
Perform and interpret Blood typing and cross matching | 18 (3.9) | 17 (3.7) | 34 (7.5) | 84 (18.4) | 303 (66.4) |
Perform and interpret preparation of red cell suspension | 34 (7.5) | 39 (8.6) | 89 (19.5) | 94 (20.6) | 200 (43.9) |
Perform and interpret preparation and storage of blood products | 40 (8.8) | 30 (6.6) | 78 (17.1) | 104 (22.8) | 204 (44.7) |
Perform and interpret antibody screening and identification | 34 (7.5) | 34 (7.5) | 76 (16.7) | 99 (21.7) | 213 (46.7) |
Immunology and serology | |||||
Perform and interpret specific and nonspecific treponemal tests | 29 (6.4) | 29 (6.4) | 73 (16.0) | 101 (22.1) | 224 (49.1) |
Perform and interpret ASO test | 28 (6.1) | 28 (6.1) | 40 (8.8) | 100 (21.9) | 260 (57.0) |
Perform and interpret Widal and Weil–Felix test | 18 (3.9) | 9 (2.0) | 16 (3.5) | 60 (13.2) | 353 (77.4) |
Perform and interpret rapid serological tests | 17 (3.7) | 10 (2.2) | 20 (4.4) | 70 (15.4) | 339 (74.3) |
Perform and interpret pregnancy testing | 17 (3.7) | 4 (0.9) | 14 (3.1) | 47 (10.3) | 374 (82.0) |
Perform and interpret ELISA testing | 93 (20.4) | 83 (18.2) | 110 (24.1) | 83 (18.2) | 87 (19.1) |
Parasitology | |||||
Perform and interpret collection and preservation of stool | 18 (3.9) | 16 (3.5) | 58 (12.7) | 90 (19.7) | 274 (60.1) |
Perform and interpret direct/wet mount stool examination | 18 (3.9) | 13 (2.9) | 18 (3.9) | 64 (14.0) | 343 (75.2) |
Perform and interpret stool concentration technique | 37 (8.1) | 31 (6.8) | 75 (16.4) | 119 (26.1) | 194 (42.5) |
Perform and interpret Examination and Identification of parasites | 20 (4.4) | 13 (2.9) | 33 (7.2) | 79 (17.3) | 311 (68.2) |
Perform and interpret scotch-tape technique | 59 (12.9) | 57 (12.5) | 102 (22.4) | 127 (27.9) | 111 (24.3) |
Microbiology | |||||
Perform and interpret gram staining | 34 (7.5) | 26 (5.7) | 49 (10.7) | 100 (21.9) | 247 (54.2) |
Perform and interpret acid fast staining (AFS) | 21 (4.6) | 13 (2.9) | 25 (5.5) | 65 (14.3) | 332 (72.8) |
Perform and interpret culture media preparation | 82 (18.0) | 101 (22.1) | 109 (23.9) | 81 (17.8) | 83 (18.2) |
Perform and interpret inoculation of microbiological media | 87 (19.1) | 86 (18.9) | 119 (26.1) | 78 (17.1) | 86 (18.9) |
Interpretation of bacterial and mycological colony characteristics | 102 (22.4) | 95 (20.8) | 118 (25.9) | 70 (15.4) | 71 (15.6) |
Identification of bacterial and mycological species from solid and liquid culture media | 107 (23.5) | 102 (22.4) | 117 (25.7) | 68 (14.9) | 62 (13.6) |
Perform and interpret antimicrobial susceptibility testing | 100 (21.9) | 93 (20.4) | 108 (23.7) | 71 (15.6) | 84 (18.4) |
Urine and other body fluid analysis | |||||
Perform and interpret physical examination of urine | 19 (4.2) | 8 (1.8) | 25 (5.5) | 79 (17.3) | 325 (71.3) |
Perform and interpret chemical examination of urine | 18 (3.9) | 5 (1.1) | 23 (5.0) | 64 (14.0) | 346 (75.9) |
Perform and interpret microscopic examination of urine | 18 (3.9) | 16 (3.5) | 38 (8.3) | 81 (17.8) | 303 (66.4) |
Perform collection and examination of other body fluids | 69 (15.1) | 75 (16.4) | 99 (21.7) | 85 (18.6) | 128 (28.1) |
Clinical chemistry and molecular diagnostics | |||||
Perform operation and maintenance of clinical chemistry machines | 70 (15.4) | 77 (16.9) | 108 (23.7) | 93 (20.4) | 108 (23.7) |
Perform and interpret renal function tests | 46 (10.1) | 45 (9.9) | 79 (17.3) | 89 (19.5) | 197 (43.2) |
Perform and interpret liver function test | 47 (10.3) | 43 (9.4) | 80 (17.5) | 89 (19.5) | 197 (43.2) |
Perform and interpret lipid profile testing | 54 (11.8) | 54 (11.8) | 79 (17.3) | 91 (20.0) | 178 (39.0) |
Perform and interpret hormonal assays | 87 (19.1) | 82 (18.0) | 88 (19.3) | 84 (18.5) | 114 (25.1) |
Perform and interpret electrolyte analysis | 81 (17.8) | 72 (15.8) | 86 (18.9) | 81 (17.8) | 136 (29.8) |
Perform and interpret DNA/RNA extraction and quantification | 153 (33.6) | 93 (20.4) | 87 (19.1) | 79 (17.3) | 44 (9.6) |
Perform and interpret nucleic acid amplification-based tests/PCR | 134 (29.5) | 80 (17.6) | 83 (18.2) | 78 (17.1) | 80 (17.6) |
Ranking of training needs in pathophysiology according to pre-determined themes in Laboratory specific issues, n = 457 | |||||
Pathophysiology | |||||
Case studies in clinical microbiology | 86 (18.9) | 80 (17.5) | 118 (25.9) | 94 (20.6) | 78 (17.1) |
Case studies in clinical chemistry and molecular diagnostics | 93 (20.4) | 78 (17.1) | 123 (27.0) | 104 (22.8) | 58 (12.7) |
Case studies in hematology | 77 (16.9) | 63 (13.8) | 94 (20.6) | 126 (27.6) | 96 (21.1) |
Case studies in blood banking | 68 (14.9) | 70 (15.4) | 105 (23.0) | 109 (23.9) | 104 (22.8) |
Case studies in parasitology | 63 (13.8) | 53 (11.6) | 94 (20.6) | 100 (21.9) | 146 (32.0) |
Case studies in immunology and serology | 60 (13.2) | 55 (12.1) | 112 (24.6) | 108 (23.7) | 121 (26.5) |
Ranking of training needs in research and audit according to pre-determined themes in laboratory specific issues, n = 457 | |||||
Research and audit | |||||
Research proposal development | 72 (15.8) | 77 (16.9) | 102 (22.4) | 128 (28.1) | 77 (16.9) |
Research design | 81 (17.8) | 75 (16.4) | 111 (24.3) | 127 (27.9) | 62 (13.6) |
Research methods | 67 (14.7) | 72 (15.8) | 111 (24.3) | 118 (25.9) | 88 (19.3) |
Grant proposal writing | 91 (20.0) | 87 (19.1) | 99 (21.7) | 123 (27.0) | 56 (12.3) |
Manuscript preparation | 101 (22.1) | 69 (15.1) | 110 (24.1) | 121 (26.5) | 55 (12.1) |