[Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

Wed Feb 11 13:16:21 CST 2009

If a histo tech knows how to do most everything in the clinical lab but is not an MT, should they be allowed to work there?

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of DDittus787 <@t> aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 2:03 PM
To: TMcNemar <@t> lmhealth.org; rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com; slappycraw <@t> yahoo.com; Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; sjchtascp <@t> yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

Well Tom they can throw me on the fire with you!!! I agree  I came  thru an 
MT program ,OJT for Histology (some MT stuff helped) got my Bachelors  later 
and finally got my MBA- but I have been working a great deal with the "new  
grads" from colleges and while they are very nice, I have to say some OJT would  
have been a great deal more helpful, than being able to get an A on a test! I  
know generations are different but what are they being told in these 
colleges???  Where is work ethic, realistic work expectations? We are in healthcare not 
 banking thank goodness! Take me back to the good old days when we were by 
the  docs side and learned everyday. Just my 2 cents. Thanks for listening.

Dana Dittus MT/HT MBA
Core Lab Administrator
UHS LLC

In a message dated 2/11/2009 1:56:37 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
TMcNemar <@t> lmhealth.org writes:

I'm sure  that I'm gonna get blasted but......

I'm sorry but I stand by the  statement.  I have been a certified HT for 30 
years now.  I will  take an uncertified tech who can get a quality slide to the 
pathologist in a  timely fashion over one who can tell me about it but can't 
do it.  We all  know that they are out there.

Yes, perhaps the "lure" was insufficient  but that is out of my control and 
irrelevant.  The bottom line is that  none were willing to accept what I had to 
offer.

Certification does not  make a good histo tech.  Certification is a stamp of 
validation.  It  says that someone passed a test so they must be good.  There 
are many  very good uncertified people in histology.  

Certification lost  some of its validity when they did away with the 
practical part.  I would  prefer to have someone who can actually do the work and not 
just talk about  it.

Given my choice, I would love to have all certified techs but I  live in the 
real world and it's not likely to happen in my remaining  time.  Everyone 
talks of quality like it comes magically from having a  piece of paper.  It don't. 
 Quality comes from experience and  practical training.  And in the long run, 
that paper has very little to  do with it.

Let the flamming begin!

Tom McNemar, HT(ASCP)  
Histology Co-ordinator 
Licking Memorial Health Systems 
(740)  348-4163 
(740) 348-4166 
tmcnemar <@t> lmhealth.org 
www.LMHealth.org  

-----Original Message-----
From: Rene J Buesa  [mailto:rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:12  PM
To: Larry Woody; Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Steven Coakley; Tom  
McNemar
Subject: RE: [Histonet] uncertified techs in  Histology

Tom:
All you have written is understandable EXCEPT  that "it doesn't take an 
advanced degree to do histology", that reflects the  old assumption that "if you 
know how to cook or to knit you can do histology".  
That is an unacceptable position now when patient care should be a major  
concern. I agree that a lab assistant  does not need to be certified as  long as 
the work is limited to "assist" or do things other than working with  patient 
samples.
Perhaps the "lure" you used was not "tasteful" enough (not  enough money or 
benefits).
HTs occupy the worst paid echelon in the medical  lab and will never get of 
that stratum unless all are certified and those who  hire them show the proper 
respect for their work.
René J.

--- On  Wed, 2/11/09, Tom McNemar <TMcNemar <@t> lmhealth.org>  wrote:

From: Tom McNemar <TMcNemar <@t> lmhealth.org>
Subject:  RE: [Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology
To: "Larry Woody"  <slappycraw <@t> yahoo.com>, rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com,  
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu, "Steven Coakley"  <sjchtascp <@t> yahoo.com>
Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 11:36  AM

Perhaps in a perfect world....  My world is less than  perfect.  For our last

opening, we spent 10 months trying to find  and lure a certified tech to our

facility and then gave up and took an  MLT.  We have four techs and two of us 
are

certified HTs.  We  recently hired a person off the street and trained them 
to be

a  histology assistant.  It has been very beneficial for us.  She files  
slides,

covers the late grossing (assists the pathologist), coverslips,  etc.

It doesn't take an advanced degree to do histology.   You gotta do what you

gotta do to get the work out.

Tom  McNemar, HT(ASCP)

Histology Co-ordinator

Licking Memorial Health  Systems

(740) 348-4163

(740)  348-4166

tmcnemar <@t> lmhealth.org

www.LMHealth.org

-----Original  Message-----

From:  histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu

[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On  Behalf Of Larry

Woody

Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:10  AM

To: rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com; Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Steven  Coakley

Subject: Re: [Histonet] uncertified techs in  Histology

This has been an ongoing issue for so many  years in histology, I've always

wanted to see a mandatory license in  the field but that always starts a

firestorm of controversy. If you  have surgery, you certainly want a board

certified surgeon to do it and  same with the Pathologist that looks at the

slides so wouldn't you want  a certified tech doing the lab work as well?

Larry A.  Woody

Seattle,  Wa.

________________________________

From:  Rene J Buesa <rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com>

To:  Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Steven  Coakley

<sjchtascp <@t> yahoo.com>

Sent: Wednesday, February  11, 2009 7:58:26 AM

Subject: Re: [Histonet] uncertified techs in  Histology

A hospital that relies on uncertified techs to do  histology work is motivated

by the pursue of costs cuts (you can call  it greed!) and shows

total disregard for quality of work and patient  care. They may end losing all

those savings when settling a legal  case.

René J.

--- On Wed, 2/11/09, Steven Coakley  <sjchtascp <@t> yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Steven Coakley  <sjchtascp <@t> yahoo.com>

Subject: [Histonet] uncertified techs in  Histology

To: Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu

Date: Wednesday,  February 11, 2009, 9:55 AM

Any thoughts or experiences with my  fellow HT/HTL's(ASCP).  What the big

advantage do all these  facilities think there gaining by going with

unregistered

techs,  especially when theres always ongoing quality issues when theres so  
many

trained certified HT looking for work?  In my area of the  country I can't

believe how many Hospitals go this  way.

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