You are not doing this tech any favors by firing them.  Why not take the 
time to re-teach them, armed with literature to back you up to complete 
their so called training.  This tech is not entirely to blame for not 
knowing how to deparaffinize sections whether manually or by 
machine.  After all, with registry but lack of know how, this person will 
merely seek another job and carry on, blissfully unaware and still poorly 
trained.

I would point the fickle finger of fate at where the fault lies in the 
first place -  and it is the laboratory where the tech trained and their 
"training" methods. I would entertain bets the people responsible for 
training this person were too busy to explain why/how's of  manual/machine 
section deparaffinization OR they didn't understand deparaffinization 
either (whew, that would be sad!).

Techs in training (or not) should read text books but only if  laboratories 
training people have texts, an outlined study guide, and  websites 
acessible/available  -  but when it comes to down to performing the actual 
hands on procedure, the experienced technician(s) involved in training need 
to stand with them - ready to explain (including any theory!)  in detail 
what is going on.   If you hire the person lacking in knowledge, become 
their mentor, be diplomatic and kind but help/teach people (even 
registered) the finer, basic points of histotechnics. Our profession will 
be better for it.

Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman MT 59717-3610








At 06:54 AM 4/6/2005, you wrote:
>Connie,
>
>What did you do?  I would suggest terminating him/her immediately.  You
>couldn't even demote that person to a lab aide in my opinion since not
>knowing how to de-paraffinize slides by hand would disqualify them for that
>job as well.  That level of ignorance is a slap in the face to all
>histotechs and screams of problems with this individual down the line so nip
>it in the bud.  To not even know how to de-paraffinize shows a complete
>disregard for knowing the very basics of histology and a lack of ability to
>put 2 and 2 together.
>
>Any registered histotech that does not know how to de-paraffinize without
>the aid of a machine should have their certification revoked and needs to
>pursue another career choice.
>
>Just My Opinion,
>Glen Dawson
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: connie grubaugh [mailto:conniegrubaugh@hotmail.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 4:54 PM
>To: JWEEMS@sjha.org; MadaryJ@MedImmune.com;
>histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>Subject: RE: [Histonet] automated versus manual for
>practical(practicaltestingcenters?)
>
>
>
>    I  think it is past time to stop the practical.  So many of the stains
>    are  done  on machines.  I have had a " registered tech," that did not
>    know how to run slides manually to just de-parffinize them.
>
>    Why can't there just be more questions on the exam of theory ect. ect.
>    ect.
>    And that is my 2 cents worth.......
>
>    Connie G.
>    >From:   "Weems,   Joyce"     >To:  "Madary,  Joseph"
>    ,  >Subject:
>    RE: [Histonet] automated versus manual for
>    practical(practicaltestingcenters?)  >Date:  Tue,  5 Apr 2005 15:42:36
>    -0400  >  >Perhaps  its  time  to  stop  the  practical - do the other
>    disciplines  do  a  practical?  It's  all  so  subjective. I think our
>    problem  as  a  laboratory  science is that we do not make diagnoses -
>    that  sets  us  apart  from  the  others.  And  some pathologists have
>    promoted  the separation by not respecting us for how important we are
>    to  them. My belief is that a pathologist is only as good as the tech.
>    Another  2  cents  worth.  >  >Joyce > >Joyce Weems >Pathology Manager
>    >Saint  Joseph's  Hospital >5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd NE >Atlanta, GA
>    30342  >404-851-7376  -  Phone  >404-851-7831  -  Fax > >-----Original
>    Message-----      >From:     histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>    >[mailto:histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On     Behalf    Of
>    Madary,   >Joseph   >Sent:  Tuesday,  April  05,  2005  3:12  PM  >To:
>    histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu   >Subject:   [Histonet]   automated
>    versus manual for practical(practical >testingcenters?) > > >As most I
>    did all three practicals manually getting the first in 1982. I have to
>    say  though  as  a confirmed cheapskate what of the folks that rely on
>    the lab they are in to do the work and the supervisor will not approve
>    of  purchasing reagents for manual, and even if the person paid, would
>    have an issue with the the regs/safety issues of getting new chemicals
>    in  the  lab?  I am all for punishing new people in the lab and making
>    their  life difficult espceially those non certified types, oh my God!
>    What  if  they have no access to manual methods? Maybe the folks using
>    automated methods should have to do more or something. How far does it
>    go,  coverslipping?  I  mean  one could argue buying a staining kit is
>    just  as bad as automation since you are not` making reagents. I think
>    this  is an important issue as you all have pointed out. Personally, I
>    feel there should be testing centers for the practical. Hey there is a
>    money    making   idea   that   someone   can   steal   from   me!   >
>    >_______________________________________________   >Histonet   mailing
>    list >Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>    >http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet     >     >
>    >Confidentiality  Notice  ** The information contained in this message
>    may be privileged and is confidential information intended for the use
>    of  the  addressee  listed  above.  If  you  are  neither the intended
>    recipient  nor  the  employee or agent responsible for delivering this
>    message  to  the  intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
>    disclosure,  copying,  distribution  or  the  taking  of any action in
>    reliance  on  the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.
>    If  you  have  received  this communication in error, please notify us
>    immediately  by  replying  to  the  message  and deleting it from your
>    computer.   >Thank   you.   Saint   Josephs   Health  System,  Inc.  >
>    >_______________________________________________   >Histonet   mailing
>    list >Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>    >http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>_______________________________________________
>Histonet mailing list
>Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>
>_______________________________________________
>Histonet mailing list
>Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet


_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet