Evidenced based practice: classroom to clinical laboratory

Area of Science:

• Medical Laboratory Science Education
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) programs can integrate Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) into their curriculum.
• Current MLS curricula may include EBP principles within pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic phases.
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Laboratory Medicine Best Practices (LMBP) initiative offers a framework for EBP discussion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate how Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) can be effectively incorporated into Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) curricula.
• To highlight the role of EBP in improving clinical laboratory performance and patient care quality.
• To provide examples of clinical projects and EBP integration strategies for MLS programs.

Main Methods:

• Discussing EBP topics within the classroom setting.
• Utilizing the Laboratory Medicine Best Practices (LMBP) initiative for practical examples.
• Developing student involvement in Quality Improvement (QI) projects, including capstone projects.

Main Results:

• Students gain a clear understanding of EBP and its application in clinical laboratories.
• Curriculum can be enhanced to include EBP across all laboratory phases.
• Quality Improvement projects provide hands-on experience for students.

Conclusions:

• Integrating EBP into MLS programs is feasible and beneficial.
• EBP principles enhance the quality of laboratory services and patient outcomes.
• Structured inclusion of EBP prepares future laboratory professionals for quality-driven healthcare.