Code of ethics

A licensee shall comply with the following code of ethics in the licensee's professional practice and conduct. The code reflects the ethical principles of the clinical laboratory profession and outlines the obligations of licensees to self, client, society, and the profession and sets forth mandatory standards of conduct for all licensees. 1. A licensee's primary duty is to the patient, placing the welfare of the patient above the licensee's own needs and desires and ensuring each patient receives the highest quality of care according to current standards of practice. High quality laboratory services are safe, effective, efficient, timely, equitable, and patient centered. A licensee shall work with all patients and all patient samples without regard to disease state, ethnicity, race, religion, or sexual orientation. A licensee shall prevent and avoid conflicts of interest that undermine the best interests of patients. 2. A licensee is accountable for the quality and integrity of the laboratory services the licensee provides. This obligation includes maintaining the highest level of individual competence as patient needs change, yet practicing within the limits of the licensee's level of practice. A licensee shall exercise sound judgment in all aspects of laboratory services they provide. Furthermore, a licensee shall safeguard patients from others' incompetent or illegal practice through identification and appropriate reporting of instances where the integrity and high quality of laboratory services have been breached. 3. A licensee shall maintain strict confidentiality of patient information and test results. A licensee shall safeguard the dignity and privacy of patients and provide accurate information to patients and other health care professionals. A licensee shall respect patients' rights to make decisions regarding the patient's own medical care. 4. A licensee shall uphold the dignity and respect of the profession and maintain a reputation of honesty, integrity, competence, and reliability. A licensee shall contribute to the advancement of the profession by improving and disseminating the body of knowledge, adopting scientific advances that benefit the patient, maintaining high standards of practice and education, and seeking fair socioeconomic working conditions for members of the profession. 5. A licensee shall establish cooperative, honest, and respectful working relationships within the clinical laboratory and with all members of the health care team with the primary objective of ensuring a high standard of care for the patients they serve. 6. As a practitioner of an autonomous profession, a licensee has the responsibility to contribute from the licensee's sphere of professional competence to the general well-being of society. A licensee shall serve as a patient advocate, applying the licensee's expertise to improve patient health care outcomes by eliminating barriers to access to laboratory services and promoting equitable distribution of health care resources. 7. A licensee shall comply with all relevant laws and regulations pertaining to the practice of clinical laboratory science.