May 10, 2013 | Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Today, cheap and accurate mechanical pipettes are used by clinical pathology laboratories, although mouth pipetting, a dangerous medical lab practice, is still used in developing nations
Mouth pipetting was the topic of a recent blog published by Body Horrors. The blogger recalled a time when clinical laboratory professionals routinely mouth pipetted specimens.
Mouth pipetting is the practice of using one’s mouth to suck a desired volume of a medical laboratory specimen–blood, urine, cell cultures and other microbial stews–into an open-ended tube, using the reduced air pressure created by sucking to hold the specimen in place while moving it to another vessel. (more…)
Dec 21, 2011 | Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Laboratory professionals with four years of higher education do earn comparable compensation when compared to other professions requiring a four-year degree
Never say that readers of Dark Daily are not ready to express opinions and speak out! On Monday, we published an e-briefing that reported on the inclusion of “Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians” on a list of the “Most-Educated and Least-Paid Professions” that was compiled by a reporter at 24/7 Wall St.
Essentially, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics Database, this reporter had ranked “Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians” as number three of seven professions which were most-educated and least paid. (See Dark Daily, Bad News for Clinical Pathology Laboratories: Med Techs Rank Number 3 on List of Most-Educated and Least-Paid Professions,” December 19, 2011.) (more…)
Mar 9, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Two site visits showcased smooth-running medical laboratories with great staff
DATELINE: CAIRO, EGYPT—on Monday, your Dark Daily editor was privileged to visit two clinical laboratories here in Cairo. Each site visit provided ample proof that, despite differences in the Egyptian healthcare system, there are plenty of similarities in how each clinical pathology department is equipped, organized, and operated, compared to clinical laboratories in other countries.
First stop on the Dark Daily medical laboratory tour was Ain Shams Specialized Hospital in Cairo. This teaching hospital is affiliated with Ain Shams University and has more than 800 beds. It is primarily a surgical hospital. Its laboratory is organized to serve the needs of surgeons. There is also an emergency room and ICU service, which means that Ain Shams Specialized Hospital does admit, and treat, a certain number of inpatients with a variety of diseases and health conditions.
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Apr 9, 2009 | Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory Pathology
Learn why medical labs shoot themselves in the foot when advertising and interviewing candidate!
Probably the single most publicized trend in laboratory medicine is the shortage of medical technologists (MTs), clinical laboratory scientists (CLS), and medical laboratory technologists (MLTs). This shortage prevents many clinical laboratory managers from keeping their laboratories staffed at authorized levels.
Equally publicized is the looming mass exodus of Baby Boomers from clinical laboratory positions as they hit retirement age. The oldest Baby Boomers, born in 1946, are turning 63 this year! They are already eligible for early Social Security benefits and just 24 months from turning 65-the age when full Social Security and Medicare benefits are available to them.
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Apr 7, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Here in Chicago at the huge HIMSS meeting, people are paying attention to lab testing
Dateline: Chicago, IL-Most physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers are quite familiar with the “Five Rights of Medication.” If one innovative healthcare company is successful, soon all these folks will be equally familiar with the newly-articulated “Five Rights of Laboratory Testing,” which emphasizes that every patient is entitled to receive the proper benefits from laboratory testing.
Sunquest Information Systems, Inc has launched a campaign to promote the Five Rights of Laboratory Testing. The goal is to increase awareness among all healthcare workers of the need to exercise vigilance when ordering laboratory tests and using laboratory test data in patient care decisions.
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