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Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): The 5 W’s and How

September 7, 2023

Video length: 43 minutes

Overview

In this presentation, we will review the who, what, why, where, when, and how of well-written, effective procedures that can: improve the quality of work within the organization, reduce the number of errors and omissions, and help new staff perform complex work tasks quickly and effectively. Clear steps and procedures for getting the job done help systems and people function better and save time and effort. The purpose of this webinar is to provide tools and resources for the creation of procedures that are necessary, easy to teach/train, and easy for staff to follow.

Presenter

Michele Legried

Quality Specialist
Laboratory Services, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota

Learning objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

- Describe what a standard operating procedure (SOP) is.
- Identify why SOPs are a necessary component of any organization.
- Give examples of who should write and review SOPs.
- Identify when SOPs should be reviewed.
- Demonstrate how to write an SOP – Best Practices.
- Summarize where SOPs should be maintained.

Intended audience

This series is appropriate for phlebotomists, phlebotomy managers, phlebotomy educators, and other patient care staff involved in specimen collection.

Credit

The following types of credit are offered for this event:

ASCLS P.A.C.E.^®

Mayo Clinic Laboratories is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® program. This program has been approved for a maximum of 1.0 P.A.C.E.® contact hour.

State of Florida

Mayo Clinic Laboratories is approved as a Continuing Education Accrediting Agency for the Clinical Laboratory Sciences for the State of Florida. Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel has designated this program for General credit. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hour.

To obtain credit

1. Watch the video

2. Complete the posttest and evaluation that launches immediately following the video.

3. Generate and print your certificate(s).

Level of instruction for this program is intermediate.

Credit for this recording expires on: 9/7/25

Faculty disclosure

Course director(s), planning committee, faculty, and all others who are in a position to control the content of this educational activity are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest related to the subject matter of the educational activity. Safeguards against commercial bias have been put in place. Faculty members also will disclose any off-label and/or investigational use of pharmaceuticals or instruments discussed in their presentations. Disclosure of this information will be published in course materials so those participants in the activity may formulate their own judgments regarding the presentations.

MCL Education

This post was developed by our Education and Technical Publications Team.