[Histonet] Running a histo lab without a histotech?

[Jay Lundgren]

Hello histonetters!  I am on assignment in a small hospital lab in the
Heartland and they are staffed by only two people.  One is a registered
(ASCP) HT with 10 years of experience, and the other is a former
phlebotomist being trained on the job from scratch , who has yet to take
her accreditation exam.

 As a matter of fact, she has yet to take all the college courses (math,
science) to qualify to take her exam, and is still being  trained in the
hospital's protocols, only allowed to cut larger specimens (no bxs), etc.
She can accession, answer the phone, embed, load the stainer, coverslipper,
etc.,  so she can turn out most of the work.  I am here working for three
weeks because the trainee is on medical leave.

My question is, when the registered HT goes on vacation or sick leave, is
it legal for the lab to operate with only the trainee?

Or does a histo lab have to have at least one registered tech to operate?


                                   Thanks,

                                       Jay A. Lundgren, M.S., HTL (ASCP)