[Histonet] Lab assistant working in histology

[Cheryl]

  Rebecca--
   
  First of couse, is your lab governed by these agencies?  All three? A lab assistant can do any or all of these depending on how the work is distributed. PA is not CLIA mandatory to the best of my understanding (Florida is--so it'd be a no-no in Florida)  so it's going to depend on your lab, and your manager should be able to help research the statues and rules.  One thing I often have to do is call the governing body and ask!  Easiest way is email then you have a paper response.  I know a number of labs that have the assistants do a all but the cutting as long as the work is 'checked' by a tech ( while cutting or at block check/signout), but even this might not be required.  
   
  It might be easier to help you if you'd tell us why you want to do this?  Is it to train the assistant to become a tech, or just not enough bodies, or cost savings for the facility?  There are ways to create an 'in training' situation that will bridge most of these concerns: the other reasons will have different answers.
   
  The thing that might give you the biggest issue is you can't pay one person significantly less for doing the same duties as someone in a higher pay scale. Same as you can't have a volunteer performing tasks that you pay someone else to do in their job.  It's called 'internal equity'.  Your HR contact should be able to guide you on these things more accurately than I.  
   
  Hope this helps!
  
Cheryl Kerry, HT(ASCP) 
Full Staff Inc. 
Staffing the AP Lab by helping one Tech at a time. 
281.883.7704 c 
281.852.9457 o 
admin <@t> fullstaff.org 

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