[Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

Tue Feb 17 13:01:49 CST 2009

Those were the days Pamela.  The first IF I did we had to make the antibody and everything.  I learned a lot back then.  I was surprise to find out that the practical part of the registry was no longer done.  That to me was one of the most important parts of the registry. You can always look up information in a book but you cannot look up tissue sections to present to the pathologist or research in a book.  Knowledge is as important as the actual doing but if you cannot do the work you shouldn't be there.

Frances L. Swain HT(ASCP) A. A. S.
Special Procedures Technician
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Center for Orthopaedic Research
Barton Research Building 2R28
4301 West Markham Street
Little Rock AR 72205
(501) 686-8739 PHONE
(501) 686-8987 FAX
swainfrancesl <@t> uams.edu email

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Pamela Marcum
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 12:47 PM
To: 'Donna Hunter'; 'Hermina Borgerink'; 'Histonet'
Subject: RE: [Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

Ah, the memories of having to find the tissue then gross, process, stain and
wait. You are absolutely correct it was a very exciting time to open that
envelope and find out I passed the both tests.  Doing everything manually
from cutting, mounting and staining was nerve racking and worth every
minute.  I knew what each stain would do and how to make it the best I could
by hand.  

I don't think the automated units give the same satisfaction and don't teach
troubleshooting the way we learned it.  I made my stains so if it did not
work it was on me and no one else.  We still do for new stains.  I am
training someone now.  She will know how to make the stains and what will
break the stains so even if we get an automated stainer it will be something
she will still be able troubleshoot.  We do buy some stains as soon as I
know she understands why and how to make them.   I won't even start on IHC
as I began with IF in brain when no kits were available and we made the
secondary after buying a primary.  It was actually fun to learn and had
helped me over the years.  

Pamela A Marcum
University of Pennsylvania 
School of Veterinary Medicine
Comparative Orthopedic Laboratory (CORL)
382 W Street Rd
Kennett Square PA 19438
610-925-6278

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Donna Hunter
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:53 AM
To: Hermina Borgerink; Histonet
Subject: RE: [Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

I agree!!! I remember 29 years ago, I worked full time, had to do my
practical after hours and on the weekends was really proud of what I
accomplished completing that practical and passing it. Also Sitting in that
chair in the big auditorium for the longest 4 hours of my life trying to
read and take that test looking at those faded bent paper slides of stains
was so proud when I got that envelope stating I passed.  I think they need
to bring back the old written test and slides that they used before all this
computer enhancement. 
Donna  

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Hermina
Borgerink
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:29 AM
To: Histonet
Subject: RE: [Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

It is my personal opinion that all Histology techs working within a clinical
setting today should be certified. Period.  Histology requirements are no
longer what they used to be as complexity of procedures used in the lab are
increasingly becoming more demanding. I started out in 1961 straight out of
high school, but since then, over time, have gotten my HT, BA in biology,
HTL, and IHQ, all while continuing to work full time. 

I think it was a terrible mistake to abandon the practical exam for the
HT/HTL and rely solely on the written exam to judge the expertise of the
candidate for ASCP certification. Automation probably played a crucial part
in making the "hands-on" experience obsolete, but I think that practical
experience was invaluable because it reinforced and illuminated what the
written material was teaching. And while automation undoubtedly has many
benefits, unfortunately, it can also promote "dumbing-down" as it requires
little or no interaction with the user of the laboratory equipment. While I
was getting my personalized OTJ training from a pathologist in a medical
school's experimental setting, it was always understood that although we
were working with animal tissue, the patient's welfare ultimately was the
bottom line. This attitude not only inspired good laboratory practice, but
also the desire to learn and to do the best possible job I could. To this
day I find it immensely rewarding to perform special and IHC stains by hand
and achieve the expected results. 

So many other professions demand a college education followed by, or in
conjunction with, training in a particular skill, so why should our
profession be any different?  With an increased level of education and
training will come a larger pay check and the well-deserved respect so
frequently lacking now. 

Hermina

Hermina M. Borgerink, BA, HT, HTL(ASCP)QIHC Wake Forest University Primate
Center Department of Pathology Medical Center Blvd.
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
Tel. (336) 716-1538
Fax. (336) 716-1515
e-mail:  hborgeri <@t> wfubmc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Kim Tournear
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 9:53 AM
To: Histonet
Subject: RE: [Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

I agree with the overseas tech issue...my experience at Ventana Medical
allowed me to meet alot of well educated techs from across the ocean. What
difference does it make where the education comes from, as long as the
candidate is qualified to do the job? 

I think an ASCP certification should be obtained allowing the applicant to
use his/her credentials, and a state license (if applicable) without having
to go back for a degree they already have. 

We knew long before 2005, that the histology world was going in new
directions and that a histotech would be required to be certified. I fear
that at some point, hospitals will not hire any non-registered techs (of any
kind). 

Just my 2 cents worth....

~Kim Tournear ~HT (ASCP), QIHC (ASCP)
Histology Supervisor
Tucson Medical Center
Tucson, AZ

~Don't let your life end before it begins~

OU Rocks!!!!

--- On Mon, 2/16/09, Bernice Frederick <b-frederick <@t> northwestern.edu> wrote:

From: Bernice Frederick <b-frederick <@t> northwestern.edu>
Subject: RE: [Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology
To: "'Larry Woody'" <slappycraw <@t> yahoo.com>,
histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Date: Monday, February 16, 2009, 7:28 AM

Agreed. Kind of devalues one's education if there are uncertified techs. I
also think that it's silly that techs from outside the US are sometimes
forced to repeat their 4 years of college when they have the knowledge and
the equivalency from wherever and can do the job better than some techs
doing it for years.
Bernice

Bernice Frederick HTL (ASCP)
Northwestern University
Pathology Core Facility
ECOGPCO-RL
710 N Fairbanks Court
Olson 8-421
Chicago,IL 60611
312-503-3723

-----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 10:10 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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