[Histonet] frozen section/histo duties

[Morken, Timothy]

Nancy, we have HT (Histotechs) and HLT (Hospital lab techs - lab assistants) who work in grossing and do the frozen sections with residents and pathologists. There is no requirement that a person cutting sections has to be certified in anything.  Our HLT's generally do all the accessioning but do frozens when it gets busy. However, they do not select the piece to freeze - that is done by a PA or resident. They just cut the sections and stain them. 

We have a similar situation in histology in that we will hire well qualified people (ie, degrees in biology, or other science) with no experience as HLT's and then train them into histotechs eventually. But in the meantime they can be doing many histotech duties like embedding, sectioning, H&E staining, helping with IHC stainers, etc. Many of these HLT's have become certified techs in our lab over the years. We have 15 histotechs and all are certified. Our 4 HLT's are not. 

Tim Morken
Supervisor, Electron Microscopy/Neuromuscular Special Studies
Department of Pathology
UC San Francisco Medical Center


-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Schmitt via Histonet <histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu> 
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2020 1:12 PM
To: histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] frozen section/histo duties

Hello and Happy Monday-
Would you please share what your processes are for:

  1.  HT's cutting frozen under direct supervision of pathologist - do you do this?
     *   Now HT has changed and requires Associates degree - but previous would be grandfathered in  - correct?
  2.  Non- certified staff working in histology with supervision - anything they DON"T do?
CAP is our guideline and I am reading - want to make sure I am not overthinking this but not missing anything.........
Thoughts appreciated,
Nancy Schmitt HT, MLT(ASCP)
Pathology Support Services Manager

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