Medical laboratory professionals around the country got in the spirit of celebrating Lab Week, April 23-29, 2023. Many ASCP members chimed in on ASCP’s Facebook page and other social media channels to share how their health systems honored their laboratory teams. ASCP’s “Saved by the Lab” Photo and Video Contest garnered 72 entries, including 33 videos and 39 photos.
Kendra Willis, MT(ASCP)CM, and her colleague, Mary Ann Drain, BBMT(ASCP)CM, and their co-workers at a laboratory in Lexington, KY, took first place in the video category of ASCP’s contest for their video, “Addicted to Lab,” (a parody of Robert Palmer’s song, Addicted to Love). First place in the photo contest went to Lori Haener, MLS(ASCP), titled, The Whole Kit and Caboodle, featuring her laboratory colleagues at a health and wellness center in Springfield, MO.
Ms. Willis’ inspiration came from watching music videos on YouTube. Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” video featured girls all in black with bright red lips, pretending to play guitars. “It was perfect!” she says.
She and Ms. Drain came up with ideas for lips, instruments, dancing, and masks (black scrubs are Technologist colors in our facility). “The more ridiculous it sounded, the better we liked it,” explains Ms. Willis.
Ms. Drain chimes in, “Masks were still necessary, at the time, in our facility. Using Microsoft Paint and Word, I printed hundreds of those lip stickers, not knowing how many people would get involved. The masks helped folks let their guard down without embarrassment!”
As the pair reached out to co-workers, “we wanted everyone to do the step-tap like the models in the video, but not everyone could find the beat,” Ms. Willis says. “The more offbeat people were, the better it got.”
Each day, Ms. Willis took a cart with her iPad, inflatable instruments, a JBL speaker, bright red stick-on lips, white masks, and Estee Lauder blush to different laboratory departments at various times of day to film all shifts. Once the video was posted on YouTube, the pair made a QR code and put it on flyers and made buttons to wear on their scrubs for others to scan. They also sent the QR code and a link to vote on emails and on social media channels.
Throughout the week, their laboratory celebrated with games, prize drawings, and food. Their laboratory leaders made sure their entire team felt recognized. “I have been at this institution for almost 17 years and cannot remember more fun leading up to Lab Week,” Ms. Drain says.
“I am immensely proud to be a laboratory professional,” Ms. Willis says. “The laboratory is a vital part of the healthcare team. However, we are often never seen and so we are often overlooked. Lab Week is our week to shine. “
Check out all the winners of the ASCP 2023 Lab Week Photo and Video Contest
here.
