ADVANCE Outlook: Lab Professionals : On Our Minds

Avoiding Post-Conference Overload

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:36:00 GMT

Through working on ADVANCE , I have had the opportunity to travel to many great cities across our nation. I love going to conferences, seeing new places and getting to meet all of you ADVANCE readers! However, I know when I get back to the office after...(read more)

How to Work a Room

Amanda Koehler — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT

Networking has become an important part of finding a new job or even advancing in your current position or overall career. Attending events with your colleagues is always a great time to network. However, sometimes people feel embarrassed, shy or uncomfortable...(read more)

Mammography and the Right to Choose

Matthew T. Patton — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:53:00 GMT

(Editor's note: This is a guest blog written by Valerie M. Chapman, RN, MSN, a pediatric nurse for 25 years. She is a 3-year breast cancer survivor and lives in Medford, NJ, with her husband and two children.) I am a wife, a mother of two awesome kids,...(read more)

Eggcellent!

Amanda Koehler — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:26:00 GMT

Back in September, I traveled home to the Lehigh Valley (Allentown and Bethlehem, PA, area) for a get-together with my girlfriends from high school. I made a cake for the occasion (one I was pretty proud of). We were cutting the cake when my friend Tanya...(read more)

10 Job Search Tips

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:08:00 GMT

There's been so much material available lately on how to search for a job, especially because of job losses during the recession. We've all read articles about it, and a lot of the advice is repetitive after a while. In her book 366 Tips for a Successful...(read more)

Signs of the Times

Matthew T. Patton — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:46:00 GMT

Acknowledging healthcare reform has been controversial would definitely be an understatement. Almost everywhere I've traveled lately I've heard highly emotional and passionate positions for both sides of the debate. This past weekend, a large group of...(read more)

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:04:00 GMT

In her article in the Sept. 7 issue titled "How to Win in Office Politics," writer Karen Appold mentioned the book Toxic People: Decontaminate Difficult People at Work Without Using Weapons or Duct Tape by Marsha Petrie Sue. In the book, Sue discusses...(read more)

CLC Writes the Senate

Amanda Koehler — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:43:00 GMT

ADVANCE received the following press release from ASCLS: "The Clinical Laboratory Coalition, of which ASCLS is a member, has written the Senate Finance Committee after learning a 20 percent Medicare laboratory co-pay was being proposed by the Senate Finance...(read more)

The Importance of Recognition

Amanda Koehler — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:37:00 GMT

Everyone likes to be recognized for his or her work. Managers need to make sure they show their appreciation for their laboratorians. In his book GIVING the Real Recognition Way , Roy Saunderson goes over different recognition scenarios and what managers...(read more)

(Flu) Shots for All!

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:22:00 GMT

This morning I read a story in the New York Times about how New York is mandating flu shots for all healthcare workers, mostly out of fear of H1N1 outbreaks. A healthcare union in the state is protesting, saying: "Healthcare workers on the front lines...(read more)

Rapid Tests for H1N1

Amanda Koehler — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:47:00 GMT

Here's a great article from The New York Times featuring the lab and H1N1 testing. The story says rapid tests for H1N1 fail to properly detect infections more than half the time. Have you been finding this is true for your laboratory?...(read more)

Stop Testing for H1N1?

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:49:00 GMT

An article I found on the United Press International's Web site said the WHO is getting ready to tell countries to stop testing for the H1N1 virus. Because these tests are flooding labs and making it hard for laboratorians to keep up, healthcare professionals...(read more)

Legends and Legacies

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:00:00 GMT

As a person who has lost a loved one to cancer, I am always interested to find out more about the advances being made to fight this horrible disease. Sometimes I forget that there are so many people behind these advances and discoveries, working tirelessly...(read more)

A Diverse Workforce

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:41:00 GMT

Having diversity in the workplace is an important matter. In her book Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce , Natalie Holder-Winfield explains why this is key to any organization and how to bring diversity into your workplace. ADVANCE asked Holder-Winfield...(read more)

Crabs and Labs?

Amanda Koehler — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:42:00 GMT

I saw this article on the Harvard Business Review Web site today. The author discusses the Discovery Channel show The Deadliest Catch and how it can teach all professionals about leadership. On the show, a crew goes out on crab-fishing boats to catch...(read more)