Did You Read the SOP? Procedure Writing for the Laboratory¶
Description
Laboratory technologists must be precise, concise, and consistent in their work to assist clinicians in making critical decisions. Sound familiar? The work of laboratorians is parallel with documentarians in any field!
The essential tool that helps the lab achieve this goal is our SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). SOPs are the foundation to the diagnostic laboratory - many lab errors can be avoided with consistent adherence to written procedures. An array of documentation in the laboratory is essential for accurate results, consistent and cohesive judgments on subjective evaluations, and for communicating test results clearly.
Each specialty in the laboratory is responsible for the development and maintenance of their own department’s documentation. This is often viewed as a burden. Most laboratorians are not writers, and the added responsibility of technical writing is not viewed favorably.
That’s what I aim to change in the laboratory! As a documentarian AND laboratorian, my goal is to encourage my fellow lab techs to take ownership of their procedures and inspire them to take pride in their writing.
In this talk we’ll discuss:
- What makes a good SOP from the laboratorian’s perspective
- What are the attitudes of laboratorians toward documentation? How do we inspire non-writers to take ownership of their docs?
- What do laboratorians look for in documentation? Often in high-stress situations, what works and what doesn’t?
- What the lab experience can teach technical writers
- Conference: Write the Docs Portland
- Year: 2023
