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<DIV>I'm a histotech who's worked a couple different autopsy jobs and I've got a couple suggestions for morgue coverage when both the PA and deiner are off duty.</DIV>
<DIV>1. Two pathologists work together</DIV>
<DIV>2. Pathologist lowers expectations and uses anyone willing to stand there and hold/move/clean stuff.</DIV>
<DIV>3. Cultivate an autopsy volunteer pool. Plenty of people claim to be interested in morgue work and are looking for ways to break into the field. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Any of the above three suggestions should bring respect for the missing PA and diener who may even enjoy the challenge of creating a training checklist for these volunteers. At my most recent job there was a "second stringer" for morgue work who would fill in if the "main man" was unavailable and they never had the same days off. I enjoy assisting at autopsy so much that I come in on my days off to be there. Fascinating work if you can get it as there is always something to learn from each case.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sandra Ellis</DIV>
<DIV>HT-ASCP</DIV>
<DIV>Diplomat-American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigation</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Message: 13<BR>Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 09:53:23 -0500<BR>From: "Noreen Gilman" <Ngilman@nbhd.org><BR>To: <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu><BR>Subject: [Histonet] Autopsy duties<BR><BR>I have a question for all the hospital based histo personnel, but first<BR>some background:<BR>Our facility employ a gentleman as a lab aide who makes cassettes and<BR>accessions surgical specimens. He also is trained and does the work of<BR>an autopsy technician, assisting the pathologist at autopsy. None of my<BR>histotechs are trained to do this, even though watching an autopsy and<BR>assisting at them was part of their training to get their ACP. When<BR>our lab aid is off, our PA does the post. The question came up :what if<BR>the lab aid & the PA is off and an autopsy comes up, what then? What<BR>does the rest of the world do?<BR>Thanks for your input. Have a happy Thanksgiving holiday<BR>Noreen<BR><BR>Noreen Gilman, BS, HT (ASCP) QIHC<BR>Histopathology Supervisor<BR>Broward General Medical Center<BR>Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>