Re: [Histonet] Cutting speed
Teresa, Don't trade quality for speed. I once worked for a pathologist who actually told me that he preferred that we took our time cutting so that the sections were as good as we could make them. He said that it took a lot of the stress of making a diagnosis off of him when he got good slides, especially when the diagnosis was a difficult one. He said to treat the tissue like it came from your Mother or your child. I have worked with people who bragged often and loudly about being fast cutters and their slides looked like it. I agree with the person who advised that you sit down and have a talk with the lab manager to voice your concerns. Everyone should be aware that you are going to do the very best you can while your co-worker is away, even if it takes you a bit longer. Good luck with this! Andi On Dec 31, 2011, at 10:18 AM, Kim Donadio wrote: My only advice to you Teresa is to take a deep breath, calm down and do the best you can. Dont take your eye off the specimen you are dealing with. It's someones life. You might hear people screaming about time, they need this, they need that. but You as a healthcare professional have the ONE most importnat task you really need to focus on, and thats making the best slide you can from each specimen you deal with. Focus on that, keep your chin up and know that you are doing the patients a service by being there doing good work while dealing with hard times. Best of wishes Kim D From: Teresa Moore tmoor...@gmail.com To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 8:44 AM Subject: [Histonet] Cutting speed I graduated from a histology program in June/11 and just got a job a week ago. My speed on the microtome is not great. Everyone says it takes time but I feel my technique may be wrong. To make matters worse the only other histotech in the lab is going on vacation the third week of January and I will be alone! I don't have the overall flow of the lab down yet and have no idea how they expect me to handle the cutting all by myself. My biggest concern is my cutting speed right now. How long does it take (approx) to do 40 blocks an hour. Currently, I'm about half that! I'm panicking and I've only been on the job 8 days. Help!!! -- Teresa Moore ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] Cutting speed
Good advice. Joelle Weaver MAOM, (HTL) ASCP http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelleweaver From: algra...@email.arizona.edu CC: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 07:39:47 -0800 Subject: Re: [Histonet] Cutting speed Teresa, Don't trade quality for speed. I once worked for a pathologist who actually told me that he preferred that we took our time cutting so that the sections were as good as we could make them. He said that it took a lot of the stress of making a diagnosis off of him when he got good slides, especially when the diagnosis was a difficult one. He said to treat the tissue like it came from your Mother or your child. I have worked with people who bragged often and loudly about being fast cutters and their slides looked like it. I agree with the person who advised that you sit down and have a talk with the lab manager to voice your concerns. Everyone should be aware that you are going to do the very best you can while your co-worker is away, even if it takes you a bit longer. Good luck with this! Andi On Dec 31, 2011, at 10:18 AM, Kim Donadio wrote: My only advice to you Teresa is to take a deep breath, calm down and do the best you can. Dont take your eye off the specimen you are dealing with. It's someones life. You might hear people screaming about time, they need this, they need that. but You as a healthcare professional have the ONE most importnat task you really need to focus on, and thats making the best slide you can from each specimen you deal with. Focus on that, keep your chin up and know that you are doing the patients a service by being there doing good work while dealing with hard times. Best of wishes Kim D From: Teresa Moore tmoor...@gmail.com To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 8:44 AM Subject: [Histonet] Cutting speed I graduated from a histology program in June/11 and just got a job a week ago. My speed on the microtome is not great. Everyone says it takes time but I feel my technique may be wrong. To make matters worse the only other histotech in the lab is going on vacation the third week of January and I will be alone! I don't have the overall flow of the lab down yet and have no idea how they expect me to handle the cutting all by myself. My biggest concern is my cutting speed right now. How long does it take (approx) to do 40 blocks an hour. Currently, I'm about half that! I'm panicking and I've only been on the job 8 days. Help!!! -- Teresa Moore ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] Cutting speed
Never sacrifice quality for speed. Patient care is priority one, and the lab makes plenty of money. If you are understaffed they need to deal with that, not jeopardize care. You can always contact Healthcare Connections to get vacation coverage, or another agency like that. If you want Healthcare Connections it Comp Health staffing phone numbers feel free to email me. Sent from my Windows Phone From: joelle weaver Sent: 1/3/2012 8:48 AM To: algra...@email.arizona.edu Cc: Histonet Subject: RE: [Histonet] Cutting speed Good advice. Joelle Weaver MAOM, (HTL) ASCP http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelleweaver From: algra...@email.arizona.edu CC: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 07:39:47 -0800 Subject: Re: [Histonet] Cutting speed Teresa, Don't trade quality for speed. I once worked for a pathologist who actually told me that he preferred that we took our time cutting so that the sections were as good as we could make them. He said that it took a lot of the stress of making a diagnosis off of him when he got good slides, especially when the diagnosis was a difficult one. He said to treat the tissue like it came from your Mother or your child. I have worked with people who bragged often and loudly about being fast cutters and their slides looked like it. I agree with the person who advised that you sit down and have a talk with the lab manager to voice your concerns. Everyone should be aware that you are going to do the very best you can while your co-worker is away, even if it takes you a bit longer. Good luck with this! Andi On Dec 31, 2011, at 10:18 AM, Kim Donadio wrote: My only advice to you Teresa is to take a deep breath, calm down and do the best you can. Dont take your eye off the specimen you are dealing with. It's someones life. You might hear people screaming about time, they need this, they need that. but You as a healthcare professional have the ONE most importnat task you really need to focus on, and thats making the best slide you can from each specimen you deal with. Focus on that, keep your chin up and know that you are doing the patients a service by being there doing good work while dealing with hard times. Best of wishes Kim D From: Teresa Moore tmoor...@gmail.com To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 8:44 AM Subject: [Histonet] Cutting speed I graduated from a histology program in June/11 and just got a job a week ago. My speed on the microtome is not great. Everyone says it takes time but I feel my technique may be wrong. To make matters worse the only other histotech in the lab is going on vacation the third week of January and I will be alone! I don't have the overall flow of the lab down yet and have no idea how they expect me to handle the cutting all by myself. My biggest concern is my cutting speed right now. How long does it take (approx) to do 40 blocks an hour. Currently, I'm about half that! I'm panicking and I've only been on the job 8 days. Help!!! -- Teresa Moore ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
RE: [Histonet] Cutting speed
I think that you want to contact Teresa Moore, I am good, been through this whole process/experience myself- but I have more time out, and old shoe now- she has a great attitude, and was a super student. I don't have her email saved on here, but I hope that she sees your messages and I am glad to see all the support she is getting here!Joelle Joelle Weaver MAOM, (HTL) ASCP http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelleweaver From: pathloc...@gmail.com Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 10:00:44 -0800 Subject: RE: [Histonet] Cutting speed To: joellewea...@hotmail.com; algra...@email.arizona.edu CC: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Never sacrifice quality for speed. Patient care is priority one, and the lab makes plenty of money. If you are understaffed they need to deal with that, not jeopardize care. You can always contact Healthcare Connections to get vacation coverage, or another agency like that. If you want Healthcare Connections it Comp Health staffing phone numbers feel free to email me. Sent from my Windows Phone From: joelle weaver Sent: 1/3/2012 8:48 AM To: algra...@email.arizona.edu Cc: Histonet Subject: RE: [Histonet] Cutting speed Good advice. Joelle Weaver MAOM, (HTL) ASCP http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelleweaver From: algra...@email.arizona.edu CC: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 07:39:47 -0800 Subject: Re: [Histonet] Cutting speed Teresa, Don't trade quality for speed. I once worked for a pathologist who actually told me that he preferred that we took our time cutting so that the sections were as good as we could make them. He said that it took a lot of the stress of making a diagnosis off of him when he got good slides, especially when the diagnosis was a difficult one. He said to treat the tissue like it came from your Mother or your child. I have worked with people who bragged often and loudly about being fast cutters and their slides looked like it. I agree with the person who advised that you sit down and have a talk with the lab manager to voice your concerns. Everyone should be aware that you are going to do the very best you can while your co-worker is away, even if it takes you a bit longer. Good luck with this! Andi On Dec 31, 2011, at 10:18 AM, Kim Donadio wrote: My only advice to you Teresa is to take a deep breath, calm down and do the best you can. Dont take your eye off the specimen you are dealing with. It's someones life. You might hear people screaming about time, they need this, they need that. but You as a healthcare professional have the ONE most importnat task you really need to focus on, and thats making the best slide you can from each specimen you deal with. Focus on that, keep your chin up and know that you are doing the patients a service by being there doing good work while dealing with hard times. Best of wishes Kim D From: Teresa Moore tmoor...@gmail.com To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 8:44 AM Subject: [Histonet] Cutting speed I graduated from a histology program in June/11 and just got a job a week ago. My speed on the microtome is not great. Everyone says it takes time but I feel my technique may be wrong. To make matters worse the only other histotech in the lab is going on vacation the third week of January and I will be alone! I don't have the overall flow of the lab down yet and have no idea how they expect me to handle the cutting all by myself. My biggest concern is my cutting speed right now. How long does it take (approx) to do 40 blocks an hour. Currently, I'm about half that! I'm panicking and I've only been on the job 8 days. Help!!! -- Teresa Moore ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
Re: [Histonet] Cutting speed
You asked how long does it take to (approx) to do 40 blocks an hour, well it takes an hour. If you meant how long does it take to do 40 blocks, the answer is 1.7 hours, because the average cutting speed is 24 blocks per hour. René J. --- On Sat, 12/31/11, Teresa Moore tmoor...@gmail.com wrote: From: Teresa Moore tmoor...@gmail.com Subject: [Histonet] Cutting speed To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Saturday, December 31, 2011, 8:44 AM I graduated from a histology program in June/11 and just got a job a week ago. My speed on the microtome is not great. Everyone says it takes time but I feel my technique may be wrong. To make matters worse the only other histotech in the lab is going on vacation the third week of January and I will be alone! I don't have the overall flow of the lab down yet and have no idea how they expect me to handle the cutting all by myself. My biggest concern is my cutting speed right now. How long does it take (approx) to do 40 blocks an hour. Currently, I'm about half that! I'm panicking and I've only been on the job 8 days. Help!!! -- Teresa Moore ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
Re: [Histonet] Cutting speed
Teresa, How do your sections look? Good quality well stained sections are vital. Speed will come with experience. When it becomes second nature to know when a block is cold enough to get good sections without cracks from being too cold or when a bloody piece of tissue is moistened enough toget sections without swollen cells your speed will increase. You will have been working a month by the time the tech goes on vacation and will have the workflow down by then. Don't worry so much. no one will expect you to be as fast as a tech with years of experience. Good luck rena Fail On Sat, Dec 31, 2011 at 8:44 AM, Teresa Moore tmoor...@gmail.com wrote: I graduated from a histology program in June/11 and just got a job a week ago. My speed on the microtome is not great. Everyone says it takes time but I feel my technique may be wrong. To make matters worse the only other histotech in the lab is going on vacation the third week of January and I will be alone! I don't have the overall flow of the lab down yet and have no idea how they expect me to handle the cutting all by myself. My biggest concern is my cutting speed right now. How long does it take (approx) to do 40 blocks an hour. Currently, I'm about half that! I'm panicking and I've only been on the job 8 days. Help!!! -- Teresa Moore ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
Re: [Histonet] Cutting speed
Teresa please express your concerns to your supervisor or lab manager now ! A new person in a lab needs more time than one month to get used to the routine feel of a new place. Did they use a PRN during their search for the new tech. If so, have that person come in and help during the vacation break of the the other tech. Our utmost concern should be care of the patient and safety of the tech. I know from personal experience that both will be compromised when you have a situation like yours. You will be rushed and tissue samples can be lost in embedding or cut away during microtomy. You could cut yourself also. I am not even taking into account the other responsibilities of a general histology lab that will be compromised as well. The histo students in our area are encouraged to be able to trim and cut 30 blocks in one hour. This does not include the time to embed the tissue, nor the time to stain and sign out the case. Worst case scenario; the other tech will have to delay the scheduled vacation until you are thoroughly acclimated to the flow of the lab. My personal opinion is that the this situation is totally unfair to any new employee, seasoned or new graduate. I would never do this to a new tech myself. Stay in our field, be encouraged, it does get better Teresa. Have a Great and Prosperous New Year Stella ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
Re: [Histonet] Cutting speed
My only advice to you Teresa is to take a deep breath, calm down and do the best you can. Dont take your eye off the specimen you are dealing with. It's someones life. You might hear people screaming about time, they need this, they need that. but You as a healthcare professional have the ONE most importnat task you really need to focus on, and thats making the best slide you can from each specimen you deal with. Focus on that, keep your chin up and know that you are doing the patients a service by being there doing good work while dealing with hard times. Best of wishes Kim D From: Teresa Moore tmoor...@gmail.com To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 8:44 AM Subject: [Histonet] Cutting speed I graduated from a histology program in June/11 and just got a job a week ago. My speed on the microtome is not great. Everyone says it takes time but I feel my technique may be wrong. To make matters worse the only other histotech in the lab is going on vacation the third week of January and I will be alone! I don't have the overall flow of the lab down yet and have no idea how they expect me to handle the cutting all by myself. My biggest concern is my cutting speed right now. How long does it take (approx) to do 40 blocks an hour. Currently, I'm about half that! I'm panicking and I've only been on the job 8 days. Help!!! -- Teresa Moore ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
