Critical Thinking in the Age of Microwave Testing

Presenters:

• Heather Alvarez, MS, MLS(ASCP), Laboratory Manager, Prairie Ridge Health
• Jorn Bansberg, BS, MLS(ASCP)^CM, Microbiology Lead, Vernon Medical Center
• Eric Beck, PhD, D(ABMM), Clinical Laboratory Director of Microbiology, ACL Laboratories
• Tim Block, BS, MLS(ASCP), Laboratory Manager, Froedtert West Bend Hospital
• Zachary Lunak, PhD, HTL, MLS(ASCP), Clinical Associate Professor, Director Undergraduate Lab               Programs, Biomedical Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
• Erik Munson, PhD, D(ABMM), Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Science,             Marquette University
• Thomas Novicki, PhD, D(ABMM), Clinical Microbiologist, Marshfield Labs
• Raymond Podzorski, PhD, D(ABMM), Microbiology Director, St. Mary’s Hospital
• Megan Selle, MLS(ASCP)^CM, Microbiology Supervisor, ThedaCare Health
• Alana Sterkel, Ph.D., D(ABMM), SM(ASCP)^CM, Associate Director, Communicable Disease Division,           Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene.
• Jahna Voigt, BS, MLS(ASCP)^CM, Microbiology Lead, Marshfield Laboratories

Description of Session:

As organism identification has moved away from culture methods to more rapid automated molecular and other technologies, it sometimes can feel that microbiology is similar to putting food in a microwave, pushing a button, and getting out a hot cooked meal. We’ve all heard “lab testing is so easy a trained monkey can do it”, or “organism identification doesn’t require the expertise in microbiology and critical thinking that it once did”.

In actuality, critical thinking skills and a strong microbiology foundation may be more important than ever. This conference will explore why critical thinking is an essential skill that must be utilized when using non-culture based technologies for organism identification. We will share case studies that demonstrate the pitfalls of some of the current technologies and help you determine when and why you should question the results you are getting. We will have a panel discussion encouraging audience participation on the best ways to teach and assess critical thinking skills.

Finally, we will conclude the day with the presentation of the 2023 Peter A. Shult award.

A certificate of participation will be granted to each participant based on 5.5 contact hours of instruction toward credit.

This program is co-sponsored by ASCLS-WI which is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E. program.

As part of the new P.A.C.E. continuing education process, please go to the ASCLS CE Organizer web site to print your P.A.C.E. certificates. You will be asked for a code number to print the certificate. We will provide you this number during the conference.

P.A.C.E. credits are only available to those who attended the conference. Please note that the deadline for receiving P.A.C.E. education credit for this conference is May 4th, 2023.

Materials:

• WCLN Conference – Critical Thinking in the Age of Microwave Testing Brochure
• 1 – Critical Thinking Overview
• 2 – Critical Thinking with Vitek, Microscan, and Phoenix Automated Systems
• 3 – Critical Thinking with MALDI-TOF Technology
• 4 – Critical Thinking with Multiplex Syndromic Panels
• 5 – Critical Thinking with Waived & Non-Waived Molecular Tests
• 6 – Training and Assessing Critical Thinking Skills Presentation

The link below takes you to a YouTube playlist. When you click on the link you will see the individual sessions from the conference listed. You can then choose a specific session to play from the playlist, or you have the option to play the entire playlist.

Presentation Playlist