[Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

Wed Feb 11 16:04:03 CST 2009

Thank you for an interesting conversation on this matter. I am sorry,  
I am sure this issue has come up before, but I am new to the list and  
therefore this is the first time I have seen it.

I used to run a clinical lab in the UK 5 years ago (before moving to  
San Francisco for a research career) and the National Health service  
was going the way of unskilled workers too, although the qualified  
ones didn't get nearly as much as they do in the USA, so really,  
everyone looses!

Question - as a histologist with over 10 years experience who still  
has her UK qualifications what do I have to do to be qualified in the  
USA??

Thanks
Caroline

Caroline Miller
Co-Manager
J David Gladstone Institutes Histology and Microscopy Core
1650 Owens St
San Francisco
CA 94158

Tel: 415 734 2566
Fax: 415 355 0824

http://www.gladstone.ucsf.edu/gladstone/site/histology/
cmiller <@t> gladstone.ucsf.edu

On Feb 11, 2009, at 9:12 AM, Rene J Buesa wrote:

> 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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