§1323. Qualifications of clinical laboratory scientist-generalist; clinical laboratory scientist-specialist; clinical laboratory scientist-technician; cytotechnologist; laboratory assistant; and phlebotomist

A. Each applicant for licensure as a clinical laboratory scientist-generalist shall meet one of the following requirements:

(1) Possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, fulfill the educational requirements necessary to enroll in a school of medical technology, complete one year of full-time clinical laboratory experience, or its equivalent, in an approved school of medical technology, and successfully complete a nationally recognized certification examination, as approved by the board upon recommendation by the committee. The required year of full-time clinical laboratory experience may be included in the curriculum for the baccalaureate degree or may be post-graduate.

(2) Complete the educational, clinical, and employment experience requirements, if any, necessary to be eligible for and successfully complete a nationally recognized certification examination, all of which are approved by the board upon recommendation by the committee.

(3) Meet the requirements for licensure without examination as provided in R.S. 37:1319.

B. Each applicant for licensure as a clinical laboratory scientist-specialist shall possess a doctoral, master, or baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in one of the chemical, physical, or biological sciences and shall complete the educational, clinical, and employment experience requirements, if any, necessary to be eligible for and successfully complete a nationally recognized certification examination in a laboratory specialty, all of which are approved by the board upon recommendation by the committee.

C. Each applicant for licensure as a clinical laboratory scientist-technician shall meet one of the following requirements:

(1) Successfully fulfill the requirements of an accredited educational program for an associate degree in clinical laboratory science and successfully complete a nationally recognized certification examination approved by the board upon recommendation by the committee.

(2) Complete the educational, clinical, and employment experience requirements, if any, necessary to be eligible for and successfully complete a nationally recognized certification examination, all of which are approved by the board upon recommendation by the committee.

D. Each applicant for licensure as a cytotechnologist shall meet one of the following requirements:

(1) Possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, fulfill the educational requirements necessary to enroll in a school of cytotechnology, complete one full year of full-time cytotechnology experience or its equivalent in an approved school of cytotechnology, and successfully complete a nationally recognized certification examination, as approved by the board upon recommendation by the committee. The required year of full-time cytotechnology experience may be included in the curriculum for the baccalaureate degree or may be post-graduate.

(2) Complete the educational, clinical, and employment experience requirements necessary to be eligible for and successfully complete a nationally recognized certification examination, all of which are approved by the board upon recommendation by the committee.

(3) Meet the requirements for licensure without examination as provided in R.S. 37:1319.

E.(1) Each applicant for licensure as a laboratory assistant shall, at a minimum, possess a high school diploma or its equivalent and document training as evidence of competency in basic laboratory science. Prior to a laboratory assistant performing a moderate complexity test, he shall document to his employer or laboratory director evidence of competency and training appropriate for that specific testing. Any documentation which satisfies the corresponding qualifications of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 shall satisfy the documentation requirement of this Section.

(2) Such demonstration of competency, at a minimum, shall include documentation of training appropriate for the testing performed prior to analyzing patient specimens. Such training shall ensure that the individual applicant has all of the following:

(a) The skills required for proper specimen collection, including patient preparation, if applicable, labeling, handling, preservation or fixation, processing or preparation, transportation and storage of specimens.

(b) The skills required for implementing all standard laboratory procedures.

(c) The skills required for performing each test method and for proper instrument use.

(d) The skills required for performing preventive maintenance, troubleshooting and calibration procedures related to each test performed.

(e) A working knowledge of reagent stability and storage.

(f) The skills required to implement the quality control policies and procedures of the laboratory.

(g) An awareness of the factors that influence test results.

(h) The skills required to assess and verify the validity of patient test results through the evaluation of quality control sample values prior to reporting patient test results.

(3) The committee and the board, upon good cause shown, may request a copy of the documentation of training appropriate for the performance of moderate complexity laboratory testing to be furnished by a laboratory assistant's employer or laboratory director.

F. Each applicant for certification as a phlebotomist shall meet one of the following requirements:

(1) Fulfill the educational, clinical and employment experience requirements, if any, necessary to be eligible for and successfully complete a nationally recognized certification examination, all of which are approved by the board upon recommendation by the committee.

(2) Successfully fulfill the requirements of a training program as a phlebotomist approved by the board upon recommendation of the committee and successfully complete a certification examination approved or written and administered by the board and the committee.

Acts 1993, No. 396, §2, eff. Aug. 1, 1993.