[Histonet] Disciplinary plan

[louise renton]

Connie,

This is my take on the problem: Whereas I agree that discipline might
be one avenue to correct your problem, it might be important to also
bear in mind that many so called "errors" are based on poor
understanding of the processes and importance of the task. Instead of
"cracking the whip",  education as to the dire effects of mislabelling
and involvement of the problem individual in solving the problem
itself can be  of assistance. Assuming that all employees have the
same priorities as management is dangerous as is the assumption that
all histotechs are created equal and aresufficiently experienced to be
 readily able to distinguish a vas deferns from a non-descript piece
of tissue at a glance.
It sounds like your lab is a fairly high pressured set-up, keep  in
mind that not all individuals are geared to work at the same pace with
the same degee of accuracy.  They might well work better at a slightly
less pressured pace. If you want a maximal  degree of consistency hire
a robot! (On the other hand, perhaps your tech is bored and needs
something more challenging).

So my suggestion are: Try to:
1. Determine why there is a problem with this tech - and whether they
are long term (attention deficit, poor numeracy) or not (sometimes
poor work performance is related to personal issues)
2. Educate and explain HOW things are done in your lab,  WHY they are
done just so and WHAT the consequences are of failing to do thenm the
right way. Re train if necessary
3. Offer alternative duties - less cutting & labelling, more
embedding, or alternatively more challenge.

These are my thoughts and are not in any way intended to impugn your
management style
Best regards




On 1/13/06, connie grubaugh <conniegrubaugh <@t> hotmail.com> wrote:
> We need any and all suggestions to implement a disciplinary plan for slide
> labeling errors.  99% of the time the errors are caught by the person that
> is labeling the slides and checking them with the blocks and reports before
> they leave the lab.  But we have a on going problem with one tech that
> mislabeled slides or does not label them at all.  We process around 400
> blocks a day and on a regular day there can be any where from 2-8 cases of
> slides that are mislabeled.  Since we are a reference lab and have drivers
> waiting to take the slides to the doctors at hospitals around the valley
> this has slowed us up.  Also for improper embedding of specimens.  Obvious
> specimens like vas deferens and cervical cones.
> Since we have a assistant doing the labeling and putting the cases together
> for send out she is not the familiar with what all tissues are supposed to
> look like.
>
>
> Thanks.
> Connie Grubaugh
> Las Vegas Nv.
>
>
>
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--
Louise Renton
Bone Research Unit
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg
South Africa
"....He was a very conceited cowboy, he only rode on pompous grass.