Pavel Dmitrievich

As bloodbanks become increasingly digitized, less and less qualified people become associated with them. We withdraw in horror at the prospect of choice number one being even a choice on the table. However, we must get accept the fact that as experienced blood bank staff retires and replacements are chosen in "cost-efficient" manners, as one would chose a nut or a bolt, the consequences of inappropriate choices will become more frequent. Smaller hospitals and rural hospitals which cannot compete for the needed staff will evince the most errors. I can't speculate on the number of errors, but my feeling is that percentages are now rising.

Being a tech specialist is an interesting position. The technical stuff, I have found, is probably the easiest portion of the job. Working with and advising other staff, the the rainbow spectrum of personalities encountered, and becoming more intimately involved with regulatory issues and CE are the parts which I've found most demanding. Really, good luck to you. Remain humble, and regard every person with whom you work as someone who can teach you.

I've always believed that oil at 100x gives the best view of detail. We look at the expected and anticipate the unexpected. Since we live in an area here with a higher incidence of Lymes and Anaplasma, we are always keyed to inclusions, which might not be seen at 50X. The rush to put out results, and I'm not being snarky, shouldn't preclude our giving it our best.

There are so many issues attached to this event that my head is spinning. The liability issues alone are very worrying. I don't believe that I have worked anyplace where this event would have occurred more than once without very serious consequences.

Reading the full spectrum of the replies concerning this topic has been very depressing. I started my lab career in the 1960s. Obviously, I'm nearing retirement, and very glad of it. The system is no longer being driven by care for human health and safety, but run by lawyers and profit-takers all of whom are only too eager ruin the life of anyone else in order to make a buck. I'm disgusted by the way we're made to work, and will be very glad to no longer be a part of it.