With the development of clinical pharmacy clinical staff started specializing in different clinical areas. (Stephens 2003) The course in Clinical Laboratory Support is aimed at people who work in pathology laboratories. It has been designed to “allow staff in these posts to learn underlying theory and gain credit for their practical experience.” (Pit and Cunningham 2009)
In general, National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) assess the knowledge and skills of people which are required to effectively perform their jobs. The goal of these qualifications is to define which skills the employers and employees should possess, how proficient they should be in them, and in which circumstances they can apply them.
Level 2 of Edexel NVO was designed in January 2003. This course provides employers with a range of qualifications using a number of occupational, academic, vocational, and specific programs. It has numerous advantages and should be delivered part time in college.
These qualifications’ first main advantage is that they are open for all comers. The qualifications have no age limits, entry requirements, time limits for completion, and specific methods of delivery.
NVQs provide all the candidates with equal opportunities. This is why special assessment arrangements are carried out for the candidates with special needs. The qualifications have a number of anti-discriminatory practices with internal verifiers ensuring that the assessments are not biased or discriminating against any candidates.
What’s more, the applicants are also not required to achieve their NVQ all at once; this course offers accreditation unit by unit, which makes it convenient for those who want to achieve it gradually.
Moreover, the NVQ assessment is fair, consistent, and accurate. The individuals and organizations involved in the assessment are centers (different organizations which offer this course on behalf of Edexcel, such as schools, universities, colleges, or employers), candidates themselves, assessors, and internal and external verifiers.
Furthermore, the candidates have to show their proficiency at five separate levels, which facilitates the course of qualification for both the assessors and the candidates, because such an organization allows demonstrating all of the skills the candidates have. At different levels the candidates show their reaction to predictable and unpredictable situations, which also helps them to define their strengths and weaknesses.
Lastly, the NVQ may be assessed not only in the working place, but in a college or other higher educational establishment where simulation is used as a part of learning. Simulation here is the creation of a realistic working environment which improves skills and knowledge turning the participants into professionals.
Ability to take this course unit by unit allows delivering it part time in a college. The students will not have to devote all their time to the assessment being able to pass through its different levels during a semester. This gives them extra advantage, because they have more time for preparation.
This course may help to prepare the students for the future job in clinical laboratories. It introduces to them all the health and safety rules in the laboratory environment and gives a perfect idea of how health, safety, and security should be monitored and maintained.
The students can get a qualification which relates to their future job area. For this, they have to complete five obligatory mandatory units and two optional ones. The optional units give them a freedom of choice and help to define the area they will be working in.
Thus, NVQ in Clinical Laboratory is beneficial for those who wish to become more proficient in their working areas and for students who wish to build their careers in clinical laboratories.
References
Cunningham, O and Pitt, SJ 2009, Biomedical Science in Professional and Clinical Practice, New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Stephens, M 2003, Hospital Pharmacy, Chicago: Pharmaceutical Press.