mewilde1

I've been having this issue with some people as well. One of my questions on the competency states "according to our policies and procedures," and somebody got it wrong because they didn't pull out the procedure. I felt that was a pretty big hint in the question. I've had some who want hand-holding and I can't write a procedure for every possibility that could happen; I'd fill a bookstore if I had to write that many. They just want to cookbook it like they can in other departments and I'm trying to get them to realize that some things you just have to think through and if you're not sure to call me. 

Auntie and others, we share your pain. If I may add to the list of pet peeves:
 
1. Starting weekly temperature discs on fridge/freezers on the wrong day and/or time. Then 5 days in a row 5 different techs document that the scribe is OK.
 
2. Not recording medical record numbers and dates on panel scoresheets. Record keeping in general.
 
3. Not printing copies of panel scoresheets on both sides so you get the extended antigen typings on the the back. Not changing the scoresheets when you open a new panel lot.
 
4. Filing QC records etc. with bloodstains (hopefully reagent but you never know) all over them.
 
5. First cousin to the above: finding blood all over the counter, centrifuges, agglutination viewer, outside of the biohazard bin, drawers or cabinets, making you wonder if a worker had been shot or merely had sneezed violently during a torrential nosebleed.
 
6. Discarding packing lists from the blood center so I have to get copies to check the bimonthly bill. Happens pretty much each cycle.
 
7. Finding obviously broken thermometers, pipettors etc. in place. Whoever broke them knew they had done so but decided to keep it secret..
 
8. Not telling you when the last kit, vial, package, bulb or box was opened so you might have a ghost of a chance to order more before you run out.
 
9. I put out a half dozen pens and markers a week. Where do they go? Even if we supply the whole lab we should have reached the saturation point decades ago.
 
10. A tech asked me if it was OK in a pinch to just use one drop of plasma/serum per tube for an antibody screen; another tech had told him that was fine if you didn't have much sample. This was right before last year's competency eval, so I included that as a question. 5 people said it was OK. So we had a little inservice on the value of following the manufacturer's directions, our own P&P, and the need to validate any variations in protocols etc before you do so. I heard a great line a few years ago that went something like "Ignorance ain't what you don't know; it's knowing too many things that ain't so!"
 
Thank you, I feel better.

it seems to me that there is a trend in healthcare in general, ofr less and less appriopriate oversight.  In the Lab, we have here a few managers, but there time is spent with HR duties and other administrative tasks, such as attending meetings.  They do not have time for major oversight of day-to-day activity.
 
We have coordinators for keeping track of technical issues in various areas, but no supervisors to ensure that bench techs do waht need to be done every day (techs are supposed to be independently motivated anyway - right?).
 
Other than continuing education for all for problems that keep popping up (time consuming for someone!), it seems like you need to fall back on discipline.  If a job description says a BB tech needs to file paperwork, and they do not do it, that is a deficiency and should be reflected in thier appraisals.  But keeping track of all this stuff takes time, which management does not have.  It seems to be a visious circle.  Remmeber to not sweat the smaller stuff.
 
One has to depend on those techs that will go the extra mile, and sometimes they are few and far between. The ones looking at retirement often do not seem to care much about anything, and too many fresh techs just don't have the experience or mature attitude to do what needs to be done.
 
All it seems we can do is try to set a good example.  This is especially important for management; who are after all, primarily responsible for the morale of the people who they are responsible for.
 
Scott

And these are the techs who think they know all and never can make mistake

Almost daily!

The last (and only) one I went to was in 2000 at Vienna.  Had a great time and would love to go back.  That year I had a poster presentation on Automation in the Transfusion Service so Immucor helped foot the bill.  I was actually surprised how many folk I knew who were there.  Had a good long discussion with John Judd.  I recommend it to anyone who can swing the trip.

We use a default for the red cells.  I don't see a need to weigh each one, but we have had nursing complaints over the years.  "Just buy one of those cheap kitchen type scales" they said....yeah, as if it would be that easy. 

I have SoftBank and they are upgrading my PC today to Windows 7. I'll update if I have any problems.