Re: Future Histotechs pay

From:Denise Bland-Piontek

BRAVO!

Jill Songer wrote:

> Hear, Hear, Vinnie!! I totally agree with you!
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> At 04:32 PM 8/24/2001 -0400, Vinnie Della Speranza wrote:
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>> I completely agree with Chuck's assessment  about nurses education. 
>> Two year degree nurses generally do not earn the kinds of salaries 
>> quoted. BUT one point has been overlooked by all.
>> Nurses are LICENSED to practice. This means that they are regarded as 
>> professionals and are held accountable for their performance and 
>> actions as they impact on the patient. When you drive poorly or 
>> recklessly, you risk losing your drivers license. If a nurse is 
>> negligent or behaves unprofessionally, he'she can have that license 
>> suspended or revoked, much like a physician. Histotechs are not 
>> licensed and indeed, the pathologist is the one held legally and 
>> fiancially responsible if a patient specimen is compromised. You can 
>> be the worst histotech in the world and probably work somewhere. 
>> Until this discipline is prepared to stand up and be accountable, 
>> there is little point in making the comparisons to licensed 
>> disciplines. Histotechnology has a long history of failing to embrace 
>> the need to higher education (there are periodic heated debates on 
>> this list about what it takes to be a professional and whining about 
>> having to meet higher criteria in order to become certified). When 
>> our discipline stops hiding behind the pathologist's lab coat and 
>> becomes licensed, you may see the kind of advancements enjoyed by 
>> other disciplines. Anyone care to guess what it costs to affiliate 
>> with the national nurses organization? Individuals have complained 
>> loudly about paying $40 per year to join NSH which includes receiving 
>> an internationally recognized journal. Ask Charles to tell you the 
>> fee to belong to the AAPA.
>>
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>>
>> Vinnie Della Speranza
>> Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
>> Medical University of South Carolina
>> 165 Ashley Avenue  Suite 309
>> Charleston, SC 29425
>> Ph: 843-792-6353
>> fax: 843-792-8974
>>
>> >>> "Charles.Embrey"  08/24/01 02:35PM >>>
>> 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
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>>
>> -----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
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>>
>> 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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> ************************************************************************** 
>
> Jill Songer HT (ASCP)
> Supervisor, Anatomic Pathology
> Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
> Virginia Tech
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