Re: [Histonet] HT Certification Exam

[Jay Lundgren via Histonet]

Get a good night's sleep and eat a good, high protein breakfast!
There's always a question about which fixative to use or not use with uric
acid crystals/gout, so I just gave you a free one!

   Good Luck!

 Jay A. Lundgren, M.S., HTL (ASCP)

On Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 7:56 AM, Vanessa Keeton via Histonet <
histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> wrote:

> Good morning all!
>
> I am getting ready to take my HT Certification Exam and was wondering if
> anyone would be willing to share some advice or thoughts on the exam which
> may help.
>
> Thanks in advance!!
>
> Vanessa Keeton
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[Histonet] HT Certification Exam

[Vanessa Keeton via Histonet]

Good morning all!

I am getting ready to take my HT Certification Exam and was wondering if
anyone would be willing to share some advice or thoughts on the exam which
may help.

Thanks in advance!!

Vanessa Keeton
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Re: [Histonet] HT Certification

[Terri Braud via Histonet]

Wow, you sure picked a doozy of a subject.  Unless you work in a state that has 
specific licensure requirements, there really is nothing to prevent a 
non-certified Histology tech from doing the same duties as a certified tech
In my opinion, it's more a matter of skill sets, and as we all know, there are 
certified techs that couldn't cut their way out of a paper bag, just as there 
are non-certified techs that are Histology wizards.  The question is one of 
training and commitment. I do think that there are certain duties that could be 
set aside for certified techs, such as validation of controls and antibodies, 
Quality Assurance activity monitoring.  The difference will always be those who 
understand the theory behind the work.  At least with certification, there is a 
minimal standard for training and commitment. A good indicator of your 
institution's commitment to certification is their hiring practices for 
phlebotomy or Nurses aids - Certified or not?  If you have them and they are 
certified, then ask why.  Histotechs have always been the evil step children of 
the laboratory system.  Your institution should take pride in having a 
certified staff, but if they don't care, it will be an uphill battle to inst
 ill that commitment.
Best of luck, Terri

Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP)
Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
Laboratory
Holy Redeemer Hospital
1648 Huntingdon Pike
Meadowbrook, PA 19046
ph: 215-938-3689
fax: 215-938-3874

Today's Topics:
   7. HT Certification (Vickroy, James)


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Re: [Histonet] HT Certification

[Jay Lundgren via Histonet]

  Maybe someone can quote CLIA chapter and verse, but, in my understanding,
only registered HTs or HTLs are supposed to be doing embedding, cutting,
special stains and IHC unsupervised.  I think the regulation says
non-registered personnel (trainees) can perform these duties only under
direct supervision.  It all depends on how you define direct supervision.


 To me, direct supervision means someone standing over your shoulder.
However, it has been explained to me that as long as the people working are
being trained toward the exam, it is the responsibility of the Medical
Director of the lab to make sure they are doing the work adequately.  So
most places interpret this as, "Come get me if you have any questions."


  I run into unregistered, OJT techs all the time.   And some of them are
good techs.  And some people get upset when this subject comes up on
Histonet, because they feel like they do the job just as well as someone
who graduated from an NAACLS training program and has passed the test.


  As you said, this is becoming more and more common, and in my opinion, is
the main reason wages are still low, which in turn is the reason why there
is a chronic shortage of histotechs.


  I think you should pay the unregistered trainees minimum wage, sign a
contract stating they must pass the test within 18 months to continue
working, then raise their pay to $30./hr when they do (at least, I don't
know the cost of living in Springfield).  Carrot AND stick.  5% is peanuts,
it won't motivate anyone.  But that's just my opinion.

 Sincerely,

 Jay A. Lundgren, M.S., HTL
(ASCP)



On Tue, Jun 21, 2016 at 12:57 PM, Morken, Timothy via Histonet <
histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> wrote:

> I guess one question is, how did they get the impression they would get
> the 5%? That is not something that is normally written into the job
> description, but should be documented in a job offer, or it is made clear
> in some policy that as they gain competency, and the lab organization
> accommodates it,  they will move up the ladder. .  Was that written in or
> verbally given?
>
> The key is something you already mentioned: job classification. To move to
> a higher classification they need to learn the tasks for that
> classification. They need to do the tasks of that job while training so are
> technically doing the work. However, the difference is that while training
> they are under close supervision. Once they pass competency to do the work
> they can work with general supervision. And they get the raise. So if they
> start at entry level that does not require HT, the next level up does
> require it and pays more. That gives incentive to get the certification.
>
> This pertains to any position. Only those at a certain classification are
> allowed to do the work of that classification under general supervision.
> So, once they pass that competency you reclassify them to a higher
> category.  We have histotech 1, 2, 3, 4. 1 and 2 are bench techs doing
> routine work. 3 is a senior tech who can do test development and validation
> and write and edit SOP's. 4 is a Lead tech and expected to supervise a few
> people and organize daily work. Supervisor is above that. Once I am sure a
> person can do 3 work, and I need a 3-level tech, I will reclassify them.
> They get more responsibility and more pay. That is just the fair way to do
> it.
>
> You decide what the jobs tasks are in those classifications. So you can
> tell HR that level 1 an 2 do XXX and level 3 does XXX plus YYY.
>
> We don't make everyone a 3 just because they have been here a long time or
> can do certain things. We limit the number we have (you need a certain
> number of people who do the basic work!). If I have someone who is capable
> of being a 3, but cannot accommodate them in the organization, I will give
> them special short term projects, or find some way to let them do a bit
> more. However some may leave if they can find another  job that will give
> them what they want. That is just the way it is sometimes.
>
>
> Tim
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Vickroy, James via Histonet [mailto:
> histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2016 12:28 PM
> To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: [Histonet] HT Certification
>
> I just got through meeting with HR regarding a salary incentive for
> employees that successfully pass their HT certification.   All of us are
> aware that many histology labs have employees that are not certified.   We
> are a small clinic lab that was set up about a year and a half ago.  When
> we first set up the lab we were able to bring three qualified HT's from
> another lab locally.   The lab has continued to grow since then and

Re: [Histonet] HT Certification

[Morken, Timothy via Histonet]

I guess one question is, how did they get the impression they would get the 5%? 
That is not something that is normally written into the job description, but 
should be documented in a job offer, or it is made clear in some policy that as 
they gain competency, and the lab organization accommodates it,  they will move 
up the ladder. .  Was that written in or verbally given?

The key is something you already mentioned: job classification. To move to a 
higher classification they need to learn the tasks for that classification. 
They need to do the tasks of that job while training so are technically doing 
the work. However, the difference is that while training they are under close 
supervision. Once they pass competency to do the work they can work with 
general supervision. And they get the raise. So if they start at entry level 
that does not require HT, the next level up does require it and pays more. That 
gives incentive to get the certification.

This pertains to any position. Only those at a certain classification are 
allowed to do the work of that classification under general supervision. So, 
once they pass that competency you reclassify them to a higher category.  We 
have histotech 1, 2, 3, 4. 1 and 2 are bench techs doing routine work. 3 is a 
senior tech who can do test development and validation and write and edit 
SOP's. 4 is a Lead tech and expected to supervise a few people and organize 
daily work. Supervisor is above that. Once I am sure a person can do 3 work, 
and I need a 3-level tech, I will reclassify them. They get more responsibility 
and more pay. That is just the fair way to do it. 

You decide what the jobs tasks are in those classifications. So you can tell HR 
that level 1 an 2 do XXX and level 3 does XXX plus YYY. 

We don't make everyone a 3 just because they have been here a long time or can 
do certain things. We limit the number we have (you need a certain number of 
people who do the basic work!). If I have someone who is capable of being a 3, 
but cannot accommodate them in the organization, I will give them special short 
term projects, or find some way to let them do a bit more. However some may 
leave if they can find another  job that will give them what they want. That is 
just the way it is sometimes. 


Tim


-Original Message-
From: Vickroy, James via Histonet [mailto:histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2016 12:28 PM
To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] HT Certification

I just got through meeting with HR regarding a salary incentive for employees 
that successfully pass their HT certification.   All of us are aware that many 
histology labs have employees that are not certified.   We are a small clinic 
lab that was set up about a year and a half ago.  When we first set up the lab 
we were able to bring three qualified HT's from another lab locally.   The lab 
has continued to grow since then and now we have 4 other staff members that are 
performing HT tasks including microtomy, H staining, and  grossing (they all 
have BS degrees).  They were hired believing that once they were eligible to 
take the HT certification that they would take the test and if they passed they 
would get a 5% salary adjustment.  However the incentive or 5% increase was not 
written into the job description.

Currently the clinic purchases the study materials (self-instruction program) 
for the staff but we use very little work time for instructional purposes.  The 
staff are expected to study on their own, pay for the exam, and take the test.
If they do not pass the test in the period of one year after completing the  
on-the-job training then technically we could tell them they are no longer 
employed.  However where would that leave us given we couldn't find any 
additional certified HT's to hire in the first place.  We would have to start 
over again with another untrained BS graduate.

One of the question I was asked in the HR meeting was, "What duties can a 
certified HT do that a non-certified technician cannot?".Since all of our 
staff have BS degrees in biology and have all received gross training (90 days) 
I wasn't sure there was anything else that they couldn't do in the lab that 
only a certified HT could do.   I wish there were many duties.   I am afraid 
that if we don't have some certification requirements then in a few years we 
will have very few HT's except those wanting to be supervisory.We are CAP 
certified.Is anybody aware of certain HT duties that can and should only be 
done by a certified HT or HTL?  I know the high complexity requirement in 
grossing but this is based upon 90 days of training and a set number of science 
courses (biology and chemistry), and not certification.

I know that some institutions have handled the incentive to take the HT 
certification by hiring new staff as HT trainees  and then if they passed the 
HT certification they move into another job class

[Histonet] HT Certification

[Vickroy, James via Histonet]

I just got through meeting with HR regarding a salary incentive for employees 
that successfully pass their HT certification.   All of us are aware that many 
histology labs have employees that are not certified.   We are a small clinic 
lab that was set up about a year and a half ago.  When we first set up the lab 
we were able to bring three qualified HT's from another lab locally.   The lab 
has continued to grow since then and now we have 4 other staff members that are 
performing HT tasks including microtomy, H staining, and  grossing (they all 
have BS degrees).  They were hired believing that once they were eligible to 
take the HT certification that they would take the test and if they passed they 
would get a 5% salary adjustment.  However the incentive or 5% increase was not 
written into the job description.

Currently the clinic purchases the study materials (self-instruction program) 
for the staff but we use very little work time for instructional purposes.  The 
staff are expected to study on their own, pay for the exam, and take the test.
If they do not pass the test in the period of one year after completing the  
on-the-job training then technically we could tell them they are no longer 
employed.  However where would that leave us given we couldn't find any 
additional certified HT's to hire in the first place.  We would have to start 
over again with another untrained BS graduate.

One of the question I was asked in the HR meeting was, "What duties can a 
certified HT do that a non-certified technician cannot?".Since all of our 
staff have BS degrees in biology and have all received gross training (90 days) 
I wasn't sure there was anything else that they couldn't do in the lab that 
only a certified HT could do.   I wish there were many duties.   I am afraid 
that if we don't have some certification requirements then in a few years we 
will have very few HT's except those wanting to be supervisory.We are CAP 
certified.Is anybody aware of certain HT duties that can and should only be 
done by a certified HT or HTL?  I know the high complexity requirement in 
grossing but this is based upon 90 days of training and a set number of science 
courses (biology and chemistry), and not certification.

I know that some institutions have handled the incentive to take the HT 
certification by hiring new staff as HT trainees  and then if they passed the 
HT certification they move into another job class which has a higher salary 
range.  This is an option that may be done in the future here but unfortunately 
that was not set up initially here at the clinic.   I also know of institutions 
that have discouraged BS degree staff from taking the HT certification exam  
thinking that if they become certified they will find a job elsewhere.

So I am trying to list the advantages of staff becoming certified.  The clinic 
in particular wants to know what they get for the 5% increase if someone passes 
the certification.   Any ideas how to respond?

Jim

Jim Vickroy
Histology Manager
Springfield Clinic, Main Campus, East Building
1025 South 6th Street
Springfield, Illinois  62703
Office:  217-528-7541, Ext. 15121
Email:  jvick...@springfieldclinic.com



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[Histonet] HT Certification

[Terry]

I was told by my lab supervisor that it was against the law for me to work in 
the lab and not have my HT certification. I'm pretty sure this is not true (I 
work in OH in a hospital lab). I'm look for documentation so I can show her 
this is not true.   Also wondering if the state does not require certification 
maybe it is a requirement for CAP certification of the lab. 

Sent from my iPad
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[Histonet] HT Certification

[Jessica Phillips]

Hello all. I have been following histonet postings for the last year and I
just want to let everyone know how much I appreciate all of the
information. I am currently going through in house training for my
histotechnician certification at Stanford Medical Center. I am attempting
to make my study cards for the special stain portion of the examination and
I am having a little trouble. I see on ASCP's website a list of probable
stains on the exam but NSH's website also has a suggested list of stains
that should also be studied. NSH's list is longer and more involved and
while I understand that it is worth my while to know the theory behind all
of the staining on these two lists, I would like to know if anyone has an
opinion about which list is more relevant to passing the exam, if any. Any
type of comment is greatly appreciated. All of the histotechs in my lab
have taken the exam over 10 years ago and are not able to offer specifics.

Thanks much!

-Jessica
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