Tom, experience from  small and  large hospital labs:

Small lab: 3 histotechs, one EM tech. EM tech trained to do IHC and does
majority of IHC's plus development work. One histotech trained and does
occasional (routine) IHC work. We found that one tech simply could not do
the work, and the lab was too small to have all rotate through - for reasons
cited by others - experience and "continuity" must be maintained.

Large lab: 11 histotechs. All trained in IHC and all rotate to the IHC lab
at least every three weeks (longer than that and they lose currency). Two
histotechs at a time would rotate into the IHC lab. However, we also had one
senior tech who was supervisor of immunochemistry (as well as muscle enzyme
work and ISH) and stayed there full time. That tech was in charge of
development as well as providing "continuity" and QC from week to week. That
system worked out extremely well. All techs got to do all the different
kinds of work, and quality and consistency was maintained. In that lab all
techs were at least HT certified, and most were HTL certified. I think that
makes a big difference for "trainability." 

Tim Morken
Atlanta

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom McNemar [mailto:TMcNemar@lmhealth.org]
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 8:04 AM
To: 'histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'
Subject: Who does IHC?


I need a little help and would like to take a little survey.  My lab manager
tells me that she wants everyone in my department to be able to do
everything.  I have no problem with that in general and it has always been
my philosophy.  A problem has developed with IHC however.  A couple of folks
just have not gotten the hang of it causing a lot of repeats and
unhappy/mistrusting pathologists.  I want to limit the number of people
performing IHC but I cannot convince my manager.  She says to re-train them
(again).  And so to my questions.....

1. How many techs do you have and how many of those are performing IHC?

2. Is it true that the state of New York requires an HTL to perform IHC?

I would greatly appreciate any and all feedback.  Thank you in advance.

Tom Mc Nemar HT(ASCP)
Histology Supervisor
Licking Memorial Hospital
Newark, Ohio






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