Let me start off by saying that I'm not a sexist.  I attended two different
nursing schools, one in Virginia, one in Texas.  After experiencing a couple
of clinical rotations as a student nurse, I decided to finish my degree in
medical admin.  Although I have worked with doctors (pathologists) for many
years, it was a shock to me to see how the nurses were treated. Here's where
I become  a little sexist. At one of my clinical roations, I was the only
male student.  The charge nurse had a problem with me as did some of the
floor nurses.  I've been in histology for over 20 years, but I've never been
counseled as much as I was in that six week clinical by my clinical
instructor. I thought I was becoming paranoid, but my student peers (all
female) even noticed the way I was treated.  The doctors looked down at me
(which I don't take too kindly to). For me, I'd rather be in Histology.  The
pay may not be the greatest, but the working environment is better.  Maybe
I've been lucky, but I've always worked with and for pathologists who valued
my opinion and respected my education and experience.  I may not have the MD
after my name, but I would never change what I currently have for anyting.
So I don't drive the BMW or the Lexus, but I feel that I have contributed
more as a Histology tech than I could have as a nurse.  That's my story and
I'm sticking to it.

Joe Nocito, BS, HT (ASCP) QIHC
Histology Manager
Pathology Reference Lab
San Antonio, Texas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt Griffiths" 
To: ; 
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2001 2:39 PM
Subject: RE: Future Histotechs pay


> In the UK the minimum entry requirement for a Biomedical Scientist is a
BSc
> (Hons) Biomedical Science and one year of on the job training. Most of the
> new nurses in the UK now have degrees in nursing, often standard BSc no
> honours but they receive far higher pay than we do. The reason is simple,
as
> every one knows Doctors and Nurses do all the work in hospitals. The only
> time another group of health care workers gets any publicity is when there
> is an error or a perceived error, e.g. cervical screening, often in the
> press for all the wrong reasons.
> Until the public recognises us as integral members of the health care
system
> we will continue to be the poor relations.
> BTW a friend of mine, who works for a major high street electrical
retailer,
> has a lower qualification than I do, has the same amount of experience and
> earns twice my salary, all for the highly responsible job of selling a TV.
> This may sound like sour grapes, and I guess that's because it is. Sorry,
> but as much as I love Histology it may not be financially viable for me to
> stay.
>
> Matt
> _________________________________
> M Griffiths BSc (Hons)AIBMS
> Dept of Histopathology
> Worcester Royal Infirmary
> Postgraduate Member
> Faculty of Applied Sciences
> University of the West of England
>
>
> >From: "Charles.Embrey" 
> >To: 'marsha r price' 
> >CC: "'histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'" 
> >Subject: RE: Future Histotechs pay
> >Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2001 13:35:28 -0500
> >
> >Sorry Marsha,  Most RNs (registered nurses) have a Bachelor of Science
> >degree in nursing as a minimum.  Many go on to finish their Masters.
Those
> >nurses with only an associate degree normally work as an LPN or Certified
> >Nurses Aid.  I think histo salaries will rise as they have recently but
it
> >will be more in tune with the shortages in the field than with education
> >requirements.  Even with my BS degree I would make roughly the same as a
> >non-degreed HT with the same experience.  My salary only went up when I
> >entered the Pathologists' assistant field.
> >
> >Charles R. Embrey Jr., PA(AAPA), HT(ASCP)
> >Histology Supervisor
> >Carle Clinic
> >Urbana, IL
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: marsha r price [mailto:mprice26@juno.com]
> >Sent: Friday, August 24, 2001 10:19 AM
> >To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> >Subject: Future Histotechs pay
> >
> >
> >Dear histonetters,
> >I was just curious if when the requirement that takes effect in 2005 that
> >Histotechs have to have a minimum of an Associates in Science, if our pay
> >was going to go up to match, lets say that of RN's (Nurses). That is what
> >kind of degree that nurses have is an associates in Science.
> >
> >Here is a little comparison. I have a friend that is a nurse that works
> >for an agency and works 3/ 12 hour shifts a week. She makes $35 an hour
> >and $45 an hour if she works on the weekends. She receives $37 a day per
> >diem (she works approx 1 hour away from home).
> >
> >I was offered a job in the same town as a histotech to work 3 days a week
> >at $18 an hour, no per diem or any other incentives.
> >
> >Is our job considered less technical or less important than an RN's?
> >There is from what I have been hearing an extreme shortage of histotechs,
> >correct me if I am wrong. Maybe hospitals and labs should offer more
> >incentives like higher pay, let histotechs work the 10 or 12 hour shifts
> >etc. to attract more histotechs like the agencys are doing with the RN's.
> >
> >  I have always loved histology and that is why I chose this over being a
> >nurse, however, after taliking to my nurse friend, I am considering a
> >career change, mainly because of the pay.
> >
> >
> >Let me know what you histotechs think about this.
> >
> >Just Curious Marsha
> >________________________________________________________________
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> >
>
>
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