[Histonet] Training Med Techs - some candid comments

Wed Mar 22 09:51:41 CST 2006

The analogies in the UK are MLAs who had no career structure but it has
become apparent to me that they are a rich vein of BMSs (HistoTech). They
are intelligent and committed but for a variety of reasons never got a
degree. We now recognise them as Healthcare Scientist (which we all are in
the UK Labs, Physiotherapy, etc.,) and they can be trained to the post of
Healthcare Practitioner.

They can also take a Foundation Degree to become a qualified BMS and prove
to be committed Staff who rarely leaves. I think what needs to be done is to
eradicate the barriers between your Staff groups and through training and
education make it possible for one group to move to the next; the so called
'skills escalator'.

Kemlo Rogerson
Pathology Manager
Ext  3311
DD   01934 647057
Mob 07749 754194

This e-mail is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended
recipient please accept my apologies; please do not disclose, copy or
distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in reliance on its
contents: to do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Please inform
me that this message has gone astray before deleting it. Thank you for your
co-operation 

-----Original Message-----
From: Weems, Joyce [mailto:JWEEMS <@t> sjha.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 3:01 PM
To: HISTONET
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Training Med Techs - some candid comments

One of the problems with email is not being able to see how the post is
being presented. 

Mike, in the US we Histotechs have to travel the road of the red-headed step
child, and fight for recognition that techs outside the US have without
question. At least you are all lumped into the same pile, as well as I can
see - all well educated and trained in all the lab sciences. 

In the US, Histology is now left out of Med Tech training programs. Anatomic
Pathology is very foreign to most Med techs  - to give you an example...

Several years ago when setting up the computer programs for AP - with a Med
Tech directing - we in AP including the docs, were all trying to make panels
for all the stains, and trying to explain that we didn't do panels on
everything. We finally realized it was computer language and made it though.
The obvious difference came with the Med Tech questioned why the patient had
to come in every hour for a cervical biopsy when I made specimen codes for
Cervical Biopsy - 1:00 and so forth around the clock. 

I don't think Becky meant anything detrimental - just musing about the
differences, and how just because we are red headed step children we can't
be look at as managers...

My 2 cents. J

Joyce Weems
Pathology Manager
Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta
404-851-7376
404-851-7831 - fax

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On Behalf Of Chris Pomajzl
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 9:12 AM
To: HISTONET
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Training Med Techs - some candid comments

Lighten up Frances!

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Kirby" <mike.kirby <@t> nhls.ac.za>
To: "Histonet (E-mail)" <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 7:57 AM
Subject: [Histonet] Training Med Techs - some candid comments

Dear Ms Orr.

You may not have wanted a fight on your hands but now you've got one!

Climbs on soapbox and starts tirade!

Your comment " Training a MT to be a Histo Tech is like trying to train a
policeman to be a fireman" rather sticks in the craw, and I would like to
follow with a counter
comment, "Can a Histo Tech be trained to be a fireman?" as anyone can be
shown how to connect a hose to a hydrant and point it at the flames.

Granted, Histopatholgy is very much a "hands on" profession, requiring fine
manual dexterity and concentration, but it's no better than operating a high
output Biochemistry/ Haematology analyser or cross-matching a pint of blood,
where a wrong result can kill a patient. Plus you operate under a fraction
of the stress we are subjected to  - try working for a full day, and then
doing another 13 hours of call out duty, and then you are expected to report
for normal duty next day!

It's a gross insult to insinuate that ours is a "job" while yours is a
"career".

As students, we spent 5 - 6 months working in every division that was
available in the lab - Chempath, Haem, Parasitology, Micro, Cyto,
Immunology, Human genetics, blood transfusion, and yes, even Histopath. When
we passed our finals, we were allowed to choose which discipline we wanted
to further our careers, and each year, without fail, the majority would
choose anything but Histopath, as it was considered a boring  "dead end
division" (Yes, pun intended).

As for management positions, if you can run a Chempath or Micro Dept, then
you can run a Histopath Dept, as the same managerial systems apply,
regardless of the discipline, it's just the practical applications of the
work in hand that differ.

Histopathology is just one of the services in the medical world, you don't
walk on water, and neither do we. As far as I am concerned, once trained as
a general Med Tech, you can be trained in virtually any other discipline,
unless you are like "two left thumbs" me, who after 35 years on the bench,
still cannot cut a half decent section or make a passable blood smear. (But
I am good as a manager!)

End of tirade - climbs off soapbox, puts on helmet, and climbs into bunker,
to await the verbal barrage that's about to be unleashed................

Mr.M.Kirby
Johannesburg
South Africa

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]  On Behalf Of Orr,
Rebecca
Sent: 17 March 2006 17:04
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Cc: Delk, Linda
Subject: [Histonet] Training Med Techs

Hello everyone.
I would appreciate any feedback from those of you who may have had to train
MT's (ASCP) to work in Histology.
They would be trained as histo techs with the intent to promote them into
Anatomic Pathology (Histology) management positions.
Candid comments welcome, especially from MT's who now work in histology!
To me it would be like trying to train a policeman to be a fireman, it's a
career, not a job, right?

We see a HT shortage in the Chicago area, but I am unsure how to address
this.

Degreed individuals have proven critical thinking skills via a traditional
education pathway, so I see the advantages, but to ignore very capable HT
managers with proven management and organizational skills via non
traditional pathways  is becoming an issue with me.
I mean it's not like Non degreed HT's are stooopid or something.

Thank you
Becky

Becky Orr CLA,HT(ASCP)
IHC Lead
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare
847-570-2771

_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

****************************************************************************
******
The views expressed in this email are, unless otherwise stated, those of the
author and not those of the National Health Laboratory Services or its
management. The information in this e-mail is confidential and is intended
solely for the addressee.
Access to this e-mail by anyone else is unauthorized. If you are not the
intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or any action
taken or omitted in reliance on this, is prohibited and may be unlawful.
Whilst all reasonable steps are taken to ensure the accuracy and integrity
of information and data transmitted electronically and to preserve the
confidentiality thereof, no liability or responsibility whatsoever is
accepted if information or data is, for whatever reason, corrupted or does
not reach its intended destination.

****************************************************************************
*******

_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

Confidentiality Notice ** The information contained in this message may be
privileged and is confidential information intended for the use of the
addressee listed above. If you are neither the intended recipient nor the
employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended
recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying,
distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this
information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication
in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and
deleting it from your computer. Thank you. Saint Joseph's Health System,
Inc.