Monday, April 30, 2012

Raise 'em to the techs!

Author's note: I have not abandoned this blog. Many people have asked why I haven't posted. The truth is, like always I got busy and when I did find time to sit in front of the computer I got distracted with other things (pornhub) and never actually blogged. As usual, I make the empty promise that I will try to post more frequently and hopefully this time it sticks. Thanks to all who have wondered where I went and those that also say that they enjoy reading my posts. Stuff like that makes me come back with more of my musings. And now back to regular programming.


Last week was National Laboratorian Appreciation Week, or whatever the hell it's called now a days.

You didn't know that did you? For shame.

Truth is, most people didn't know about it. And for those of us in the profession we are kind of use to it now. Say what you want about what we do as Lab Techs, but the real truth is that what we do does truly matter.

Without an accurate lab result, the doctor won't order the correct additional tests. Without an accurate lab result, a nurse won't know that order the doctor just wrote doesn't make sense. Without the right lab value, in theory, someone could die.

It's that simple.

Personally, I work over in a blood bank. I get blank stares when I tell people that. For those of you curious, my job entails giving patients blood when they need it. If you're anemic from cancer treatment, or bleeding out during a surgery, I'm the guy downstairs that tests a unit of blood and makes sure it's safe to give you. And laugh all you want, but I have played a direct role a few times now in saving someones life. Anyone who's ever worked in the field in some way has. And for all the times I've worked straight through a shift with no break struggling to keep up with a GI bleeder, or have been on two different phones at once, or have worked side by side with one of my peers as we juggle multiple problem patients, all the while getting screamed at from 4 different people, I have only heard about the times I've supposedly messed up.

I have never been thanked for my (albeit small) role in saving someone. Not once.

A while ago there was a Nursing strike here in MN. One of the rally cries was a poetic piece about a Nurse sacrificing their time from their family to be with yours, or not getting to lunch or, well you get the idea. And I'm not saying they or doctors aren't overworked. Like all of us in health care, they are. But Elli has been a Nurse for a little over a year now and has many stories about being thanked for helping a patient out. I've been in the field for going on 8 years now. As I've said above, I haven't been thanked once.

It was Lab appreciation week last week. Even if you're just learning about it now, if you know a Med Tech, do me a favor:

Make out with them. They deserve it!

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