National Medical Laboratory Professionals (NMLP) Week  is your week to be recognized and your chance to celebrate your staff's outstanding performances and accomplishments!

Need some ideas to get the celebration started? Check out this day to day guide and additional ideas below to help you get started…

• Promote NMLP Week to your hospital and to the public.
  • Post information about NMLP Week to your personal and organization's Twitter (use #LabWeek and #CLMA), Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Download sample social media posts to customize.
  • Add the 2013 NMLP Week logo to your website or use it in your email signature. Download a sample email signature.
  • Download and personalize a letter to your hospital administration inviting them to join your NMLP Week celebration.
  • Contact local media about your lab and why you are celebrating NMLP Week by sending out a press release. Download a template and personalize it with your specific celebrations and achievements.
     
• Host a party to recognize your staff members and all they do to go above and beyond to make a difference in your laboratory and the industry.
  • Honor your staff! Download and personalize CLMA's NMLP Week certificate of appreciation to present to each individual staff member or to your team as a whole.
  • Get to know your colleagues! Encourage staff to bring in items for a "show and tell" that represents a part of their history
  • Share some food! Organize a potluck. Or host a cupcake decorating contest! Bring in undecorated cupcakes, icing and sprinkles and encourage your staff to decorate them to win gift cards or other small prizes. Categories could include best laboratory design, most elaborate decoration or most like Martha Stewart.
    
• Provide and encourage staff's personal and professional development.
  • Contact your high school's science department head to set up a short presentation to introduce their science classes on the laboratory profession. Ask your staff to join you, wearing their lab coats, to talk about how fun it is to be a laboratory detective every day.
  • Set aside some time for staff to volunteer at a local charity, participate in a blood drive or donate to a food bank.
  • Bring in a speaker about an industry issue to educate your staff.

Don't forget to take pictures to commemorate your Lab Week celebration! Share your photos and your celebration story on CLMA's Facebook page or email them to info@clma.org.