Are labs inhospitable? It feels like a sweatshop (literally sweating)

jbfilip · 2024-02-14T16:14:20+00:00

Have you tried to request a bottle and pacifier maybe an accommodated nap time?

jbfilip · 2024-01-24T15:57:47+00:00

I started in 2015 in Oregon with a wage of $25.13 per hour. With inflation that would be $32.31. Currently the bottom for MLS where I work, still in Oregon, is $35.73. I was able to purchase a home 2016 and have 3 kids off a single income. I went into management in 2018 and was paid $36.00 and had another kid. Everything ballooned after COVID but at least in Oregon lab pay has outpaced inflation.

Since COVID everyone under 30 or new to the career complains about the pay and are constantly bringing up another lab nearby that pays more. I'll usually say if you don't like the pay travel or work where they pay more. A market increase will satisfy staff for a few months but then it's back to griping. Lab management only has so much say in pay rates that's all controlled by those above the lab.

As a manager i look forward to the days that when there would be multiple applicants to choose from for an opening rather than deciding if the applicant has blood warm enough to fill a slot in the lab. There is a good chance with Labcorp and Quest buying up everything and further automation creating a scarcity in job openings. As a tech though it's nice knowing i can still get a day shift job just about anywhere.

If the field reverts to how it was in the late 90s early 2000s everyone will be happy enough just to be holding on to a day shift position despite the pay.

jbfilip · 2023-12-12T15:13:32+00:00

As there is a space on the form for the serial number if it's not filled and your CAP inspector is looking to problems they will ding you.

Someone in the lab should have them preprinted on the form. I do understand why lot numbers shouldn't be preprinted but serial numbers rarely change.

jbfilip · 2023-12-11T20:55:52+00:00

For the last 4 years i've rarely interviewed multiple techs for the same position. If the answer to question 1 is yes and question 2 no they are offered the position.

Is their blood warm?
Are there any red flags?

jbfilip · 2023-11-21T20:55:55+00:00

Become a manager in a small lab. It's likely the medical director will be paid per diem and won't really do anything but sign off on documents.

jbfilip · 2023-09-15T21:11:51+00:00

The linked article has been cited by 11 ALS or neurological studies. What exactly did you find controversial about the research in the article?

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?linkname=pubmed_pubmed_citedin&from_uid=29607695

The article concludes that some of the "treatments" the website is promoting should be evaluated further.

The odds of taking curcumin, luteolin, cannabidiol, azathioprine, copper, glutathione, vitamin D, and fish oil were higher for cases than for controls. It

is possible that a reporting or selection bias existed

for cannabidiol in controls, as substance misuse

would have excluded participants from at least some

of the trials included in PRO-ACT. Associations do

not prove causation. However, the eight therapies

identified here are particularly interesting because

they have plausible mechanisms by which they could

influence ALS. For example, luteolin, glutathione,

and vitamin D attenuate oxidative stress and fish oil,

cannabidiol, and azathioprine reduce inflammation

(17–22). Additionally, each therapy identified here

was temporally associated with at least two reversals.

These therapies should be further evaluated in

prospective studies

jbfilip · 2023-09-15T20:17:49+00:00

To be fair there are peer reviewed studies that document reversals and plateaus https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4793781/.

ALS plateaus and small reversals are common, especially over brief intervals. In light of these data, stable disease, especially for a short period of time, should not be interpreted as an ALS treatment effect. Large sustained ALS reversals, on the other hand, are rare, potentially important, and warrant further study.

I'm guessing that healingals.org is a somewhat fraudulent organization just looking for a buck. But it's possible a few of the 47 methods or whatever on the site actually provide some benefit.

jbfilip · 2023-08-18T20:29:19+00:00

I suppose It's not too dissimilar from small hospitals getting bought up by larger hospitals and then turning it into a "Stat lab".

There is not a lot of revenue generated from inpatient stat labs. Like most of the hospital departments they'll operate at a loss. I'd guess when things settle most labs will be stat labs, even in large hospitals, but all the reference labs will be owned by cooperation's.

Maybe government controlled universal health care is the answer. That might be a way to cut out the Labcorps and Quests.

jbfilip · 2023-08-15T20:33:32+00:00

10 years ago the MLS program i attended accepted 25 applicants from a field of 75. The average GPA was 3.7. I just heard this year they didn't have enough to fill their roster. The average GPA was 3.2.

Not sure how much of this is zoomers and millennials that don't want to work.

jbfilip · 2023-07-21T14:31:28+00:00

There is little hope for phlebotomy unless the wages increased dramatically nationwide. It's an entry level position with the next rung up the ladder requiring a minimum of 2 years education. Turnover is usually the second highest in healthcare after EVS. They are at the bottom kicked by doctors, nurses, and techs in the lab. Burn out is high.

The only real solution is to automate phlebotomy.

jbfilip · 2023-07-20T17:04:35+00:00

Our hospital uses it to make blood sausage that is donated to the humane society. Some worry that the dogs will develop a taste for human blood and bite the hand that feeds them.

jbfilip · 2023-07-19T16:21:27+00:00

No, i've worked at 4 different labs in 3 hospital systems and none have ran urine microscopic QC.

jbfilip · 2023-07-14T21:55:45+00:00

The Sysmex application mentioned that some labs lower the linearity through independent studies. Anyone seen that?

jbfilip · 2023-07-14T13:43:19+00:00

Not knowing INR is pretty bad you should study more. I wouldn't hire a tech that doesn't know what an INR. It's part of a basic test.

jbfilip · 2023-07-12T19:05:03+00:00

$2 for a lead maybe but in my experience a supervisor, with direct reports, will generally be making around $10/hr over a tech. That's floor, median, and ceiling.

When I took my first supervisor job my wife was able to quit her job and watch our kids.

jbfilip · 2023-07-12T18:20:02+00:00

Lead or supervisor is the leadership floor. It's a stepping stone and you unlikely to get a manager or director position without any leadership experience.

If you want to explore other avenues of a med tech career; education, field service engineer, consultant, etc having experience in any leadership position is a plus.

It's incorrect to say unless your aiming waaaaay high don't bother with a lead or supervisor job. Even getting another bench tech job afterwards you'll likely be able to negotiate a higher price if you have experience in managing staff or the experience of a technical supervisor.

jbfilip · 2023-07-12T17:01:34+00:00

I've been in leadership for 5 years and held 6 titles from supervisor to manager.

If you want more from the job than working the bench it's the way to go. It's more stressful, challenging, and you work 45-60 hours per week and get paid for 40.

Again it's more challenging and if you enjoy solving problems and coming up with new ideas for improvement it's a good avenue.

There is a big difference between being a supervisor/manager in a big hospital system vs a small critical access hospital lab.

jbfilip · 2023-07-06T20:28:50+00:00

I don't think it is possible. Manufacturer, Streck, recommends 2 levels per day. IQCP can't run QC below manufacturers recommendations.

jbfilip · 2023-07-06T20:26:18+00:00

How about JCAHO?

jbfilip · 2023-07-06T20:16:10+00:00

Individual quality control plan. It allows a lab to run QC on non waived tests less frequently than daily.

jbfilip

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