I have worked on both sides of this issue and in my opinion if you're not getting the respect or the pay that you think you deserve then if at all possible try to find another place to go. I know for some it's not really possible to pick up and move but if you can it might be your best option. It's too bad we don't have a list of the 100 best pathology laboratories to work in. If places have good people constantly leaving you'd think eventually someone would get the message. Sometimes it just takes a couple good people in the right places to turn things around. I know wherever I have lived and worked, the word got around pretty quickly on the best places to work.
Patti Loykasek wrote: It is sad to think that there are so many negative experiences out there. I
feel lucky that I have never experienced this. Most places I have worked the
pathologists considered us part of a team in patient care. That's not to say
I never heard disrespectful remarks, but for the most part have always been
treated well. At the last hospital I worked in Tulsa, the med techs even
encouraged me to ask for more money when I obtained my specialty QIHC
certification, as the med techs there received more when they obtained
specialty certification. I will say that I always try to treat all staff I
encounter - Physicians & all other lab techs, etc- with respect & an
attitude of "how can I help you". We're all in this to provide good patient
care. I have enjoyed all the various places I have worked in my career. I
didn't realize exactly how lucky I have been.
Patti Loykasek BS, HTL, QIHC
PhenoPath Laboratories
Seattle, WA
>
> In response to several postings regarding pay and respect- I have been feeling
> somewhat better to read that others are disheartened by the lack of respect
> for the effort and time that it can take to become a certified, experienced
> histotech. The pay doesn't really bother me as much as the attitude that I
> encounter on a daily basis that "anyone" can do histology and that it is to
> quote "no big deal" to get certified. I have to concur that in my experience,
> histology managers do not seem to value or even recognize the skills and time
> it takes to perfect this trade.I know for me, getting an HTL was quite a
> burden at times. I had extra studies for sure. And, back in that day, the ASCP
> slide practical was no picnic. At my own hospital, this attitude is epitomized
> by the fact that routinely non-certifed, non-histology people are both hired
> and promoted. I have never seen anyone with a histology background given any
> sort of professional respect like that given freely to the MT personnel that
> work there. They do not even recgonize an HTL as a certification. They only
> give you a small increase for being certified at all (HT). At particularly bad
> moments, this had made me want to leave the field as well. So, I can relate
> very easily to everyone else's sentiments. This hospital has been an
> especially bad example of the "warm body" syndrome. It is almost crippling in
> terms of the quality of the work and TAT. The inferior service and poor
> quality produced only serves to reinforce the negative concept- it is indeed a
> vicious cycle!
> At least (all of us) are not alone!
> Joelle
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Larry A. Woody
Seattle, Wa.
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