Hello wizard Bloodbankers!

[caj1018]

I found you when I did a search for SBB exam help. I have been a med tech for 20+ years and a Blood Bank Supervisor for 15 years at two different hospitals. I currently work at a teaching hospital that cares for the largest percentage of poor people in the State of Oklahoma. We are a very poor hospital since most of our patients do not pay. We are losing med techs at an alarming rate, and our two newest hires are older than I am. One retired and then came back to work. Most of our new hires are MLTs and have limited blood bank training and experience. I am teaching the previously retired tech to pass the BB ASCP test and am considering studying and taking the SBB. I worked previously at a hospital that had a med tech school, but even so - studying at my age....I need all the help I can get.

[donellda]

Hello and welcome! I'm glad you found us! I am having a similar problem with finding med techs. Most of my staff will be retiring within the next few years and my supervisor retired recently so I took her position. I had a lot of problems finding someone to do my old tech position. We had very few applicants and the ones that we had, either had no blood bank experience or they were older with no recent experience. Good luck with SBB exam!

[rcurrie]

You can do it! Older folks make the best students- we aren't looking all week for a date for Friday night! I completed my first degree at age 41, my second at age 49, and my third at age 54. I am trying to decide what degree to work on next.

Have you considered an on-line SBB program? I have 4 techs who have done that. Their professor ships them specimens to work on.

Bob C