I have read this thread with interest.   I once worked at a lab where there
were "timed performance indicators."    We wrote down the time we started a
task, the time we finished and how many were done.  (embedding, sectioning
and coverslipping)   I HATED working there.
I felt like I was in a factory.  Even though I met the time indicators, I
did not work there long.   I did not feel like a health professional, I felt
like a robot.
Just my thoughts.
Hazel

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Connie McManus [SMTP:conmac@cc.usu.edu]
> Sent:	Friday, November 16, 2001 11:55 AM
> To:	Jennifer MacDonald; Connie McManus; Amos Brooks; Clarke Ian;
> histonet
> Subject:	Re: Performance indicators.
> 
> At 04:28 PM 11/15/01 -0800, Jennifer MacDonald wrote:
> >While a relaxed atmosphere is nicer to work in this is not always a
> reality.
> >Many employees will take advantage of the situation.  Having worked in
> >management I can tell you that there are employees that need guidelines
> for
> >productivity.  
> 
> I completely agree with you here.  However... [read on]..
> 
> >CAP has requirements for turn-around-time and patients have
> >expectations of prompt results.  In a clinical setting without
> productivity
> >guidelines this is difficult to manage.  
> 
> Yep, I agree that there needs to be SOME amount of stress placed on the
> people in the workplace... heck NOTHING would ever get done if it was
> totally relaxed.  But neither can there be this feeling of being pushed
> all
> the time, of being placed under the microscope.  BALANCE is the key
> word...
> balance between the relaxed environment and the productivity fiends.  
> 
> Anything that dehumanizes human beings is wrong, plain and simple.   Bean
> counters are great with figuring out how to balance a check book or a cost
> analysis scheme, but when it comes to productivity, it appears they
> haven't
> a clue that money and machines are NOT the model by which human beings
> should be measured.  Frankly, I think the bean counters need to get a
> hobby.  It seems THEY have too much time on their hands if they are so
> concerned about something like this.   
> 
> Roxanne Soto said it well...
> 
> >Can they cut, embed, file, coverslip, stain, and handle the stress?  Can
> they read and follow a >protocol?  Do they ask questions if they need
> help?
>  Can they do any of these items without >excessive complaining?  Then they
> are probably OK.
>   
> Now, isn't that the bottom line for what is trying to be accomplished?
> Who
> cares how much time it takes to do the several little tasks that a tech
> does in a day?  If the work is done in a timely manner  and is done
> correctly that's all that should matter. 
> 
> 'nuff said.
> 
> Connie McManus
> Thought for the day:   "who are THEY and why are THEY always the ones in
> charge???" 
> 
> Guidelines are not quotas but
> >expections of what should be accomplished.  Will everybody meet these
> >everyday, probably not.  There are always things that can go wrong, but
> can
> >it be accomplished most days? I had an employee who saw nothing wrong
> with
> >taking 6 hours to embed 100 blocks.  Guidelines were necessary.
> >
> >Jennifer MacDonald
> >
> >
> >
> >> I think somebody needs to be clued in that the most productive work
> >> environment is the relaxed and happy environment.  Stressed out
> workers,
> >> regardless of the type of work they're doing, are not as productive as
> >> happy, stress-free workers.  So, if people are being timed to see how
> much
> >> they can produce in a given period of time,  that is putting stress on
> the
> >> worker.  If the worker feels they must produce x amount in y time
> period,
> >> that is even more stressful.  Worse, it's demeaning.  It's putting
> human
> >> beings on par with machinery.  Machines can be made to perform like
> this,
> >> but people just DON'T.
> >>
> >> This really has to be the child of the bean counter from Hell.
> >>
> >> just yakkin
> >> Connie McManus
> >>
> >> At 03:46 PM 11/15/01 -0500, Amos Brooks wrote:
> >> >Hi,
> >> >    I really don't like putting time expectations on things like this
> >with
> >> >out foreknowledge of specifics. 100 OB/GYN blocks would take a hell of
> a
> >lot
> >> >longer than 100 prostate biopsies. Embedding 100 "prostate chips"
> blocks
> >> >would take a lot longer than 100 breasts. If all the blocks were
> EXACTLY
> >the
> >> >same size and EXACTLY the same type of tissue, with EXACTLY the same
> >amount
> >> >of fatty tissue, perhaps you could justify a quota.
> >> >    Then there is the whole quality of work factor. We used to race to
> >see
> >> >who could coverslip the most slides per minute. It was interesting to
> >note
> >> >that usually the fastest worker often had the most bubbles after a
> half
> >> >hour. The same could be said of wrinkles in sections. The slowest was,
> >> >admittedly, not the best, but the ideal was obviously not time
> dependent.
> >> >    Putting expectations on the time it takes to complete these tasks
> is
> >is
> >> >really subjective and inherently flawed. The only way to ensure that
> >people
> >> >are really working to their potential is to sit and work next to them
> and
> >> >keep chattering and goofing off to a minimum. Rather than saying
> "You're
> >the
> >> >slowest tech here" one should look at the worker and try to teach some
> >time
> >> >saving methods.
> >> >Put the stopwatch down and step away from the whipped tech.
> >> >Amos Brooks
> >> >
> >> >----- Original Message -----
> >> >From: "Clarke Ian" 
> >> >To: "histonet" 
> >> >Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2001 12:54 PM
> >> >Subject: Performance indicators.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >> I am interested in trying to assess a performance level for some of
> the
> >> >> standard procedures in a Histology and Cytology laboratory.These
> >include ,
> >> >> embedding,trimming,cutting and mounting of slides.I thus would like
> to
> >> >> survey what other people think is realistic and doing in practise.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >> Veterinary Diagnostics Lab
> >> Utah State University
> >> Logan, UT
> >> USA
> >> (435) 797-1891
> >> fax (435) 797-2805
> >>
> >
> >
> 
> Veterinary Diagnostics Lab
> Utah State University
> Logan, UT
> USA
> (435) 797-1891
> fax (435) 797-2805