[Histonet] uncertified techs in Histology

Tue Feb 17 13:29:15 CST 2009

That would be fun!!!!! I know how you feel.
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 Donna Hunter
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 10:53 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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