[Histonet] Pre-labeling glass slides

Fri Mar 16 11:38:22 CDT 2007

I'm just saying that there are ways around this process.  Consider things like moving your labeler closer to the cutting station for instance, or having someone other than a HT making and delivering the slides or maybe getting several slide labelers and putting them by the cutting stations.  
I totally agree that having tech get up and walk to another place to get slides is not efficient and having people standing and waiting to do work is even worse.  I'm just saying that there are probably ways to make your work flow better and more efficiently by using LEAN principles.  
It is too complex to go into in an email but I encourage you to do some investigating and reading on the subject and you may discover some good ideas.  
Jan

>>> "Douglas D Deltour" <doug <@t> ppspath.com> 03/16/2007 11:40 AM >>>
So it will save us time by having the tech get up and print the slide (using
the slide printer), go back to the microtome and cut it. This will happen
about 300+ times a night. Let's put two techs into the equation and one will
wait while the other is printing. If they do this I will not have to check
the slides for accuracy anymore? 

Douglas D. Deltour HT(ASCP)
Histology Supervisor
Professional Pathology Services, PC
One Science Court
Suite 200
Columbia, SC 29203
(803)252-1913
Fax (803)254-3262

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-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Janice
Mahoney
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 10:25 AM
To: Katri Tuomala; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Carmen Leschuk; Rene J
Buesa
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Pre-labeling glass slides

I can't keep quiet anymore.
Single piece flow, one specimen, slide, case at a time is the fastest and
least error prone way of performing any task.  It is LEAN and it can be
proven.  Please consider it for the patient's sake.
i know that it seems more efficient to batch.  I felt that way too before I
started seeing the processes in my lab with LEAN eyes.  
All those checks along the way are slowing down your process.  If you single
piece flow, one case/slide at at time you will make fewer errors and no
longer need so many checks. You will get more slides out faster (with the
right number on them whether they are  written or etched or labelled).
Jan
Omaha

Janice Mahoney
Histology/Cytology Coordinator
Alegent Health Laboratory
4955 F Street
Omaha, NE 68117
(402)717-2889

>>> "Katri Tuomala" <katri <@t> cogeco.ca> 03/12/2007 9:35 PM >>>
I totally agree with Rene. We pre-label all our slides in approximately 20 
slide lots. We have so many checks along the way, before the slides are 
delivered, that the odd mistake gets discovered very quickly.
You just have to pay attention to what you are doing.
And yes, I remember the diamond pens, ouch!!

Katri

Katri Tuomala
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rene J Buesa" <rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com>
To: "Carmen Leschuk" <LESCHUKC <@t> trinity-health.org>; 
<histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Pre-labeling glass slides

> Carmen:
>  Labelling the slides BEFORE they are used is the normal and logical 
> practice. In this way the slides can be ready beforehand. The thing is 
> that if the person using the slides does NOT pay attention, the 
> "misslabelling" can occur.
>  On the other hand the amount of time you could WASTE by leballing 
> simultaneously while sectioning is astronomical.
>  The good practice is to have a log with the blocks to section, prepare 
> all the labelled slides in the needed amount and  BEFORE sectioning the 
> blocks, match slides to blocks and that is all you have to do.
>  Sloppines and carelessnes are the roots of any mistake in histology. The 
> solution is to pay attention, not to misuse a slides writing machine.
>  René J.
>
> Carmen Leschuk <LESCHUKC <@t> trinity-health.org> wrote:
>  Recently, I heard of a slide mislabeling that occurred in another histo 
> lab that they determined to be caused by pre-labeling slides before actual

> use at the microtome. This lab said that if the slides would of been 
> labeled simultaneously (per their policy) as the blocks being cut, the 
> mislabeling would of been prevented. My lab currently pre-labels all of 
> slides before cutting a sequence of 10-20 blocks, which I thought was 
> common practice. My question is, what is common practice? Do other labs 
> have poli
> cies forbidding pre-labeling of glass slides?
>
>
>
> Carmen Leschuk, HT, SLS (ASCP)
> Supervisor, SJMO-Anatomic Pathology
> (248)858-6231
>
>
>
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