[Histonet] Histotechs

[Shelly Coker]

We currently have 2 techs.  We do 100-150 block per day.  We do start to finish on these blocks:  gross, processing (microwave), cutting, embedding, and special stains (not very many different stains, though).  The only other person in the lab is an assistant for about 2 hours each day to help with paperwork.  
   
  Perhaps look at your work flow.  Three people on embedding all the time with only 4 cutters seems like a mismatch.  As does having three people doing special stains.  I recently worked at a much larger operation (1400-1600 blocks per day) and we managed with 2 embedders usually and 8-10 cutters, one of which got up halfway through the day to do the special stains.  One thing that may help you is a lab assistant to pick up slides, help with coverslipping and handing out slides, answering phones, filing blocks and slides.  These are tasks that the tech doesn't HAVE to do.  Think of how much tech time you could save for actual tech work by simply delegating some of the non-technical duties to a lab assistant.
   
  Just food for thought!
   
  Shelly

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