Biomedical Laboratory Science Day, April 15.
The 22nd General Assembly of Delegates (GAD), Oslo 1996 adopted to institute a world-wide Biomedical Laboratory Science Day. The purpose with the BLS Day is to highlight specified health problems with the view of our profession, and to promote the profession of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists and their role as key personnel within research, diagnosis and treatment of patients.
The theme for the BLS is decided by IFBLS Council in cooperation with WHO’s Millennium Goals, and the theme is applied to marketing the day all over the world.
The theme for 2009 and 2010 is: Cancer: Today find the cause - Tomorrow find the cure Why is it important to celebrate the BLS Day?
Each Biomedical Scientist has a unique role in promoting the professions importance within Health Care. A Biomedical Scientist with confidence and engagement is the best representative for the profession. You meet the patients, their relatives and other health personnel in the daily life. You are the best to tell what Biomedical Scientists do and what importance you have in diagnosis and treatment of patients. That is why it is important to participate in the celebration of the BLS Day at your workplace, even if the theme for the day does not correspond to what you actually do at your laboratory. Form an organizing committee
Half of the fun is the planning, and when people work together one can get unexpected results. Remember that this is a day for all Biomedical Scientists, also those who are not working directly in the field corresponding to the theme selected for the day. People from other laboratories can have useful ideas. What matters is that people have interest in contributing. Put together a suitable committee and allot the jobs. Come up with different ideas, keep track of those put forth and then narrow the possibilities down to a few very strong possibilities. Focus on the theme
It is important to have a clear idea of what to celebrate and why. The theme selected by IFBLS Council should build the basis for the celebration, but creativity on what to focus on is allowed. You can pick out a narrow field within the theme, or make a broader perspective by bringing in several fields or other professions. But before deciding to hold an International BLS Day event it is a good idea to consider why your association wants to run an International BLS Day Event. What is it your association hopes to achieve? Determining this will help identify who the target audience should be. Choose your audience
We might dream that everybody takes part in the celebration of the BLS Day and that we will be referred to in newspapers, radio and TV. This is hardly the reality, and you should not have too high ambitions on who you whish to address. A local arrangement will possibly not reach the large amount of public, but patients, relatives, other health personnel and people in the hospitals neighbourhood could be interested.
Identifying your target audience will be will assist in developing your International BLS Day event. Consider you aims, who is likely to attend and participate. Choose your method
You will need to consider what to do with the subject matter determined by IFBLS and the format of your event. What type of event would your target audience be most interested in? BLS Day topics can be presented in various ways: Hands on activities Presentations Displays
Making the event interactive allows audiences to join in. Involve all audiences; children are different from adults, as educators are to students. Make it something for everyone! How to celebrate the BLS Day depends of course, on the resources you have. Choose what is most appropriate for your workplace. Here are some examples: Put up the poster (either sent from your national association, or the one you will find at www.ifbls.org) somewhere visible, in the lobby, in the elevator or in the waiting-room at the out-patients department etc. Create a small exhibition in the lobby, the canteen or at the local shopping centre etc. If time and resources, make your own posters as a supplement to the official ones. Arrange an Open Day at the laboratory. Invite patients and blood donors, or send invitations to health personnel colleges at your hospital. Maybe the laboratory has introduced new routines or started a new analysis program that you wish to inform about. Invite one lecturer or more to held a scientific seminar. The seminar can last a day, a half day or just one hour. Listeners can be colleagues from the hospital or just a few interested colleagues from the special scientific field. Contact the local press: newspapers or radio/TV. Write a short press release to describe the event. Remember to indicate the names of local contact persons. Promote the BLS Day in the hospital’s internal newspaper, internal network etc.
No matter how you decide to celebrate the BLS Day, remember to clarify the method and use of material with the management of the hospital/laboratory. Prepare in Advance
Plan the set up of the location in advance Finalise what equipment is needed and where it will come from. Some scientific equipment may be covered by safety regulations. Check electrical supplies are adequate. Check layout- are you using the best arrangement for your event? Consider health and safety procedures and fire regulations for your location. Is there public liability insurance or do you need to arrange it?
Finally the day of the event Arrive early, ensure equipment and facilities are all in place and working. Monitor the event throughout the day note what worked and what didn’t for later evaluation. Ensure all equipment is returned and the location left the way it was when you arrived.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CELEBRATION OF THE BLS DAY! IFBLS thanks Marianne Bevum for preparing this guide.
|
Publications 
