Thought I’d just mention that since we don’t get much PR or anything.
Virtually everyone at some point needs the services of a medical lab and the people who work there but hardly anyone ever sees us. Ever had any blood drawn for testing? Submitted a sample in a cup at the doctor’s office? Been tested for strep throat? Or pregnancy (hopefully not at the same time)? Had blood crossmatched for a transfusion during surgery? Or even had an employment drug screen done? All these things and a myriad of others are done by people like us. We provide the information needed by the physicians to accurately diagnose and treat the patient.
Oh, sure, not everyone is as dedicated and hard-working as me ;), but by and large the people I’ve known in this field for the last fourteen and a half years really care about the work they do. We may not see the patients we’re working for but that doesn’t mean we aren’t keenly aware of our connection to them. I actually follow the progress of the patients I work on, I like to know when they get better and can leave the hospital to go back home to their families and friends. It’s about the only satisfaction I get some days, especially in this era of less money, more work and no help.
So take a moment at the begining of your busy day if you will to think of the people you can’t see working to keep you healthy. Invisible maybe but valuable too.
Note: no public funds were used in the taping of this announcement.
I actually know someone who works for a medical lab, and I’ll be attending a school meeting with her tomorrow night. You have now given me the power to really impress her with my knowledge of her vocation, and maybe I’ll be able to talk her into taking over a fundraising project.
dwyr I am hereby appreciative! I have had many tests run on myself and my loved ones and I am very grateful for the dedication the professionals behind them! It’s very nice to know that patients are real people to those in the labs – not just bodily fluids in a tube. Thank you for helping us to salute you during “your week.”
I wonder how long I’m gonna have to wait for educational television writer appreciation week?? I can feel the cobwebs trailing from my fingertips now. Hee hee.
Hey, Smeghead, welcome to the club. What’re you going to be doing?
Now, fundraising, there’s something that scares me. From both ends.
Ellen, I’ve always appreciated KET writers, it’s a nifty network. Maybe you can campaign for a week, if we could get one anybody could. I’m sure Rue would be glad to help… a worthy cause and all that.
And thanks Abby and all for keeping us in business, I really do like the work if not always the coworkers or environment. Tonight has been especially, um… amusing. I’m glad I did this. Nice little lift when one is needed.
My mom’s worked as a medical lab tech forever. In my own filtered impression lab techs are underpaid, underappreciated, undernoticed, and absolutely crucial.
They’ve also got a healthy disregard for self-inflated importance (bad hospital management and bad surgeons being routine targets) and authority in general, deep impatience with the stupid things people do to themselves, and a tendency towards dark cynical humor that’s nonetheless (and bafflingly to many) strongly rooted in caring.
Also, a frequently disturbing love of tracing good strong prominent veins along the arms and hands, particularly of their son, while making envious statements of how there isn’t even any effort needed to draw blood from them.
So I’m biased, but they do good work. Go lab techs!
I can feel the cobwebs trailing from my fingertips now. Hee hee.