CAP Pro Course - Laboratory Management - Assessing Competency in the Clinical Laboratory (2025 & 2026)

Author: Sheryl A. Whitlock, MA.Ed, MLS(ASCP)BB
Reviewer: Laurie Bjerklie, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM

Continuing Education Credits

Objectives

  • Identify elements of a competency assessment program for laboratory personnel.
  • Describe and explain the competency assessment cycle.
  • List and discuss CLIA requirements for competency assessment.
  • Discuss competency assessment verification methods.

Course Outline

  • Identify elements of a competency assessment program for laboratory personnel.
      • Clinical Laboratory Competency Assessment Program
      • Competency Assessment Plan
      • Competencies That Are Necessary for Clinical Laboratory Professionals
      • A new laboratory worker has been hired and has completed training. If the laboratory is subject to CLIA regulations, how often must the competency of ...
      • The laboratory management team is restructuring the competency assessment program. Previous documentation has not differentiated between the overall c...
      • The laboratory supervisors for a new hospital laboratory are establishing a competency assessment program. Which of the following would describe a com...
  • Describe and explain the competency assessment cycle.
      • Competency Assessment Cycle
      • Determining The Focus of Assessments
      • Competency Assessment Process
      • Identifying a Performance Gap
      • Suggested Strategy for Investigating and Resolution of a Performance Problem
      • Flow Chart: Suggested Strategy for Investigating a Performance Problem
      • Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Competency Assessment Program
      • An accreditation visit review of the general competency assessment form resulted in a citation for the laboratory to provide a more robust evaluation....
      • The hematology supervisor is currently observing an employee and completing a training checklist for coagulation testing. The employee was properly tr...
      • The medical education office is assisting the laboratory in developing competency assessments for a moderate complexity laboratory that has been added...
  • List and discuss CLIA requirements for competency assessment.
      • CLIA Requirements: Competency Assessment Elements
      • Nonwaived versus Waived Testing Competency Assessment
      • CLIA Regulations and Competency Assessment Responsibilities
      • Timeline for Assessing Competency: Meeting CLIA Requirements
      • A satellite laboratory in a physician's office managed by the local hospital is categorized as moderate complexity. Assessment of competency in this l...
      • Which of the following represents CLIA requirements for competency assessment for personnel performing nonwaived laboratory testing?The six elements r...
      • Point-of-care testing (POCT) at a hospital includes moderate complexity test methods. Under what circumstances can the nurse manager be designated to ...
      • Some personnel who perform moderate complexity testing at a hospital's hematology laboratory also work periodically at a sister hospital where testing...
  • Discuss competency assessment verification methods.
      • Recording Competency Assessment Activities
      • Assessment Tools
      • Incorporation of Routine Activities into the Competency Assessment Program
      • The laboratory education coordinator is creating new competency assessment activities to emphasize problem-solving skills. Which of the following acti...
      • The general supervisor is performing competency assessments for all departments. Upon filing the documents in the personnel files, they are organizing...
      • A section supervisor wants to evaluate problem-solving skills as they relate to a specific procedure performed in that laboratory section. Which one o...
      • You have decided to use a written quiz to evaluate problem-solving skills. Which of the questions listed below will most effectively assess problem-so...
      • Which of the following statements is correct regarding competency assessment activities?
  • References
      • References

Additional Information

Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Intended Audience: This program is designed as an educational and training tool for Medical Laboratory Science and Medical Laboratory Technician personnel, laboratory management, medical laboratory science students and interns, pathology residents, and practicing pathologists.
Author Information: Sheryl A. Whitlock, MA.Ed, MLS(ASCP)BB is the owner of ARK Laboratory Consulting, LLC, and a part-time technical consultant for McKesson. Sheryl served as the laboratory coordinator for the Student Health Services Laboratory at the University of Delaware for 15 years. Sheryl received her Master’s degree in Education from Arcadia University. She has more than 35 years of experience in laboratory science including management, education, and hands-on bench experience. She has written and published textbooks and laboratory manuals as well as having contributed to numerous online and print articles in the field of laboratory medicine.
Reviewer Information: Laurie Bjerklie, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM, is currently an Education Developer. She earned a B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of North Dakota and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Saint Xavier University. She has over 15 years of experience in higher education and has held program director and faculty positions in both MLT and MLS programs.

This course is part of the CAP Competency Assessment Hub.

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