Matt,

I should have sent my first answer to you via the Histonet, instead of
personally, I fear.
Once again I say to you, that is not the way it is in the USA, and never has
been.  We as a group have been FIGHTING this for in excess of 50 years that
I personally know of, in a concerted effort to segue toward that goal.  We
only recently made the second stride in our effort toward this end.  We've
had the strongest of competitors:  the Pathologists themselves.  I realize
that Europe and the UK has been way ahead of us in this regard for a LONG,
LONG time.  Trust me, there are some of us who have been TRYING to play
catch up!  But it has been fought tooth and nail.  And believe it or not, I
don't even think that today's Pathologist's realize this.  I have the inside
story though, and believe me....it is true!  Someday, though, we will 'catch
up' to where we should have been long ago.

Best regards,
Sarah A. Jones, HTL(ASCP)

----- 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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