Review of the states that have licensure of laboratory degreed staff.  What requirements other states have for licensure. Roundtable discussion on the pros / cons of licensure in Iowa.
Learning Objectives:

1. Which states require licensure in order to work as degreed laboratory personnel.
2. Standardization of credentials within the laboratory community
3. Benefits / risks of a pathway to licensure

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify specimen collection and processing errors that can lead to erroneous coagulation results.
2. Recognize incorrect coagulation results due to assay interferences and sensitivity.
3. Learn the significance of clinical history in interpreting coagulation results.

This session is intended to explore next generation sequencing technology at a basic level and incorporate a practical example of use.
Learning Objectives:

1. Identify advantages of next generation sequencing over previous sequencing methods.
2. Summarize the major technical steps of next generation sequencing.
3. Recognize a basic practical example of the utility of next generation sequencing in clinical practice.

This presentation will provide an overview of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), its assessment in the Emergency Department (ED), relevant biomarkers, clinical guidelines, practical applications of TBI biomarkers, and evaluation of TBI tests in the United States
Learning Objectives:

1. Define mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and describe its impact on patients.
2. Identify different biomarkers for TBI
3. Explain how biomarkers for TBI can be utilized in clinical practice.

This session provides a basic overview of dementia for the educated non-expert, outlines the pathologist's role in dementia care, and summarizes the interrelationship between dementia neuropathology and public health.
Learning Objectives:

1. Compare clinical and pathological definitions of dementia
2. Summarize the process by which a neuropathologic dementia evaluation is performed
3. Describe the interrelationship between neuropathology, autopsy pathology, and public health in the dementia care continuum

An outline of the TEG 6s analyzers' purpose and function, implementation process, and the impact on patient care are covered in this general introduction and discussion. Covered topics include a comparison to conventional coagulation testing, identification of patients with bleeding issues and the causes, effective resource management when treating those patients and highlighting further applications for TEG, followed by an opportunity for Q&A.
Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize the TEG 6s analyzer
2. Visit the process for on-boarding new instrumentation and testing
3. Summarize TEG usage in a clinical setting

Drug testing is commonly performed for medical care as well as for workplace and forensic purposes.  The most common specimen for routine drug testing is urine, although saliva (oral fluid) has been increasing in popularity.  Specimens used in more specialized situations include blood, hair, umbilical cord tissue, meconium, and sweat.  Challenges with drug testing arise with both screening and confirmatory tests.  Screening tests are vulnerable to false positives and false negatives.  Clinicians ordering testing may not be appear of limitations of drug screens or what compounds cross-reacts with a particular screen.  Confirmatory testing provides more definitive results, but interpretation of test results can be challenging.  Less commonly used specimens (e.g., hair, umbilical cord, meconium) have their own strengths and challenges.  The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of drug testing and illustrate key information that can help guide test selection and interpretation.  Illustrative cases will be interspersed throughout the session.
Learning Objectives:

1. Define the limitations of drug of abuse screening assays including false positives
2. Distinguish between screening and confirmatory tests for drug testing
3. Explain the common specimens used for drug of abuse testing (urine, blood, oral fluid, hair, meconium, umbilical cord)

Session will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of self-collected patient testing and the recently changed cervical screening guidelines with regards to HPV testing.
Learning Objectives:

1. Summarize the updated cervical cancer screening guidelines and current recommendations.
2. Identify and illustrate advantages and disadvantages of self-collected patient testing. 
3. Extrapolate how cervical cancer screening might be impacted by self-collected patient testing.  

This talk will present the example of a 32-year-old gravida 6 para 3 in the second trimester; her pregnancies have been notably complicated by high-titer alloimmunization (especially against D antigen). Mechanism and pathophysiology will be discussed, along with treatments (including IV immunoglobulins and intrauterine transfusion) that are available for this condition.
Learning Objectives:

1. Comprehend the etiology and pathophysiology of HDFN (hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn).
2. Grasp the means of working up and monitoring HDFN during pregnancy.
3. Commit to memory the modalities of treatment for HDFN, including new medication.

Communication with co-workers and staff seems like an easy thing to accomplish. However do your words mean what you actually want people to understand? I will share insight into differing communication styles, how to ensure you are clearly realying information and making your team as effective as possible.
Learning Objectives:

1. Differentiate when to utilize multiple communication tools to ensure clear messaging. 
2. Judging what communication style a person may have and matching it to appropriate communication tools.
3. Recognizing bias that may be unintentional in decisions and communications.