DRUGTESTING 101: What to do when there's no Collector or Head of Laboratory shown in Specimen Collection or Initial screening

Can't see the ASC or Head of Lab's name when you reach the specimen collection or initial screening part? This is usually the case when IDTOMIS is reset or when it has a new accreditation number.

Here are the steps to resolve the matter:

1. Make sure you are connected ONLINE. Kindly log in authorized specimen collector's (ASC) account by inputting his username and password to IDTOMIS. Include accreditation number if asked.
2. Once logged in, the account is renewed. The IDTOMIS can recognize the ASC account.
3. Log out.
4. Go back to Analyst acct.and check if the ASC's name is already in the specimen collection details part.

If the problem persists, ask the IDTOMIS Helpdesk representative.

Part-time drug analyst

When you realize that you need an extra money to get through each passing day, one job isn't enough. Much more you got bills to pay, you need to have an extra source of income. Just when I lost hope and nearly quit my job as a medical technologist at a hospital I suddenly found hope and got an opportunity to maximize being a drug analyst. So here I am, getting myself another part-time job being a drug analyst!

I left my previous part-time job because of many reasons: one is it cuts my budget. Going to and fro costs me 100 pesos so it's like that a considerable portion of my daily wage just went to fare. Also, it is a distance away from home. I need to get on a habal-habal, tricycle, and jeep to the clinic which is stressful. And one more thing, I'm just an on-call medtech. Meaning, I just get to work there when the medical technologist decides to take her day off.

I got this drug analyst opportunity when I and my friend went to LTO office to get a student permit. To obtain such, one must secure a medical certificate so we went to the nearest LTO-accredited medical/drug testing laboratory to get ours.

The process went smoothly, we easily got our medical certificate without a hassle. And just as we were about to leave, I asked one of the staff if they are still in need of a drug analyst when they said they do1

And that's when my drug analyst career started. 

I get paid hourly. My work schedule in the drug testing facility starts from 8AM till 12NOON so I work additional 4 hours in complement with my regular 2PM-10PM in the hospital laboratory. Sounds pretty stressful? Well, I just handled it for almost 7 months already and still coping up.

BENEFITS

Having a part time job helped me to stay on my budget for a month. With my regular job paying on a 15th-30th scheme, my part time  pays on the 5th and 20th so I get to allocate what needs to be paid first. Not to brag but I can really say I don't feel much of the 'tingbits' times (that's when you're running out of money but you're trying to make ends meet). It somehow helped me to save money in various saving vehicles and treat my family to dinners as well.

DISADVANTAGES

As mentioned, I get to work 12 hours a day so usually I get home around 11 pm and wake up at 5AM to get ready on things. I got only few hours of sleep. True, it's stressing me out but I have no choice so I get sick sometimes. Because of this, I never forget taking multivitamins to boost my immune system and invest on affordable beauty regimens for me not to look haggard.

For me, being a part-time drug analyst is somehow a blessing. I got the opportunity to make use of my certification at the same time I'm well-compensated. I thank the management for considering me to work even just half a day. Also, I'm grateful to have such outgoing workmates in the place as well. Truly, a worthy experience!

Thank you, dear interns! (CDU-MT batch 18-19)

First and foremost, thank you! 

Even though I'm not sure if you would take notice of this post but I'm honestly grateful of the company you've given us especially during the toxic and busy shifts. I could see that those are a part of the learning process but that was a great help there. You were there when we needed a hand. When I was releasing your drug test results from the start, I wonder if I can call all of you by your names. It was even hard for me to recognize all your faces but at the end of the internship, it was satisfying to get to know each one of you. 

I may not be the funny and outgoing medtech you used to know but I appreciate your thoughtfulness and initiative to help what needs to be done. I've seen your burning passion and undying ambition to finish what you've started and that is to pass and to graduate. I do recall when some of you worrying about their research, then came case studies, then moving exams to compre exams. In there, as I listened to every woes, it struck me that I was there also. I was once an intern doubting myself if would I be able to graduate on time or not.

When I knew all of you would graduate, I was so impressed. You were the biggest batch of the entire CDU-MT history yet you guys are also exceptional! I discovered many talents (singers, artists, dancers) in your batch that I was glad some obliged to showcase to us. 

True, there were times you were giving us headaches and sometimes being upset because of the 'issues' but for me, it already happened and I hope you realized your mistakes.. 

I would never forget the KPOP songs during your time (special mention to Love Scenario) when some could dance gracefully, when some could crack jokes  and those childish games you play when boredom strikes you. Not to mention the salo-salo and termi times as well!

It might be that good things come to an end. The lab now is already quiet and each sections not crowded anymore. I felt like something was wrong until I realized that the internship is over.

Seeing your graduation photos one by one makes me say that you deserve it. To the interns who are dear to me, thanks for the friendship. I hope that as we meet somewhere, you'll still wave your hand even though I might fail to recognize you.

Well, your seven months of being an intern is over. You're one step closer to your dream. I can't wait to call some of you guys a colleague in the future. I'm so proud of you! Kudos triple one! I believe all of you could make to the boards.  I congratulate all of you! 

It's LOVE through the microscope

monocyte

Sometimes, when life in the lab is pretty stressful, I see these simple things as some kind of the fun part of being a medical technologist. I vividly remember when I was quickly doing my differential count before I take my lunch break, I saw this cute cell. Even though I was in a hurry, I took a quick break and borrowed my colleagues phone and captured this monocyte as beautifully as I could. Then I said to myself, it's the simple things that make it more fun and exciting!

When Hematoma happens...

This is what happens when you don't hit the vein of your patient. This is the first time I've got my arms swollen as I donated platelets via apheresis.

I applied cold compress on the swollen area for 2 days and hot compress for the succeeding days.

I should have requested to have the needle transferred to the other arm but I chose to tolerate the pain instead. It's excruciating by the time the machine returned my red cells. Well, this may be a lesson for our fellow phlebotomists out there to do aftercare for their donors to avoid these mishaps.

Achievement Unlocked! I passed the IELTS exam!

Thank God! My struggles were worth it! At last, I'll never have to take IELTS again!

I am immensely grateful that God didn't leave me on my IELTS journey. I would say that it was a roller coaster of emotions full of uncertainty and inspiration.

Although I love reading books and writing blogs in English but the preparation made me realize that I still need to polish my English speaking skills. It was the time that I came to tell myself how I detest reading and most of all felt lazy in writing. 

IELTS is a must-take for us Filipino healthcare professionals as it is a requirement for our CGFNS Visascreen processing. I spent eight months in preparing for the test because the fee was no joke. It costs P10,250.00 and I have no choice but to earn that considerable amount of money. Take note, I was not born to an affluent family so I need to work hard first.

To pass IELTS, the test taker should meet the band required by each country. The perfect band is 9.0.  In my case, since I'm bound for US, I need to have a band of at least 7.0 in speaking with an overall band score of at least 6.5. Also, I was waiting for a perfect timing. In my months of practice, I was still not convinced with my progress so I did not haste and answer all the Cambridge listening and reading subtests that I could find and did essays of all kinds of questions weekly.

DURING MY SPEAKING TEST.

It happened two days before my chosen date so I was apprehensive at first. I took a long breath in going to the venue to keep my composure. It was not long till the interviewer called my name and I kept telling myself that it would be just like a normal conversation with a friend.

The Part one was fine as I was able to practice these kinds of questions during my review when Part two came. The moment I saw my cue card, my thoughts went blank and suddenly panic overcome me. I was given a topic that was so unfamiliar. It took me half a minute to write what I should say.

Even though the odds were not in my favor, I still answered it with enthusiasm and as cohesive as possible. But I didn’t deny that I committed some fillers, hesitations and repetitions.

Much more in Part three where I seem to think that the interviewer was processing my answers. I was not sure where do I stand but I explained it to her with support and cited some examples. I was not certain with my answer as well. I thought that was the end of the world and I just screwed my IELTS score.

DURING MY WRITTEN EXAM..

With what happened during the speaking, I was in the middle of losing hope and moving on so I decided not to do last-minute preps a day before. It was worth mentioning that the exam venue for the remaining tests is so fascinating. It was indeed an international campus where the facilities are unparalled and students just line up in the cafeteria to take their food as they please. Listening was bearable but I left to the heavens my reading and writing because the time was really short and I just had to put finishing touches before time is up.

Waiting for the results was so agonizing but I didn’t think much about it because I went with my colleagues for a vacation for 4 days. It diverted my attention somehow. I tend to forget the horrors of failing until the remaining days.

Well, I couldn’t imagine myself if I fail the test. On February 22, 2019 at around 10 in the morning, I received a text message coming from the IDP and I saw my scores. How I love to shout for joy as I knew I passed! I was in the lab when the result came out and all I could do at that moment was to thank God. I felt like I won a lottery. After I attended a mass, I reached home and there I cried my heart out. Tears of joy really is as I hugged my parents right away.

It was like a thorn was taken out from my body.  I dedicate this achievement for my family as they are witnesses how I sacrificed my time for them to IELTS. The triumph was more than what I felt than passing ASCP. Truly IELTS is a life-changing exam and I realize that this platform is just a one-step to improve my English learning skills. After passing the exam, I gathered all the books that I want to finish. At last, I can do all the things that I want to do. There’s nothing holding me back anymore! It was a one hell of experience with IELTS. Thank you, next!

Preparing for an exam: Review Center or Self study?

While it is true that review centers can help you what to study for an exam but self study can help you save money big time.

Choose...

Review Center:

• if you can afford the expensive review fee
• if you have limited or no resources such as recalls, review materials, questionnaires
• if you need proper guidance and in-depth discussion from distinguished lecturers 
• if you're eager to attend each lectures, compre and mock exams for assessment
• if you can't manage time for studying

OR

Self-study:

• if you're out of budget for review centers
• if you can control your time and have discipline to stick to your schedule 
• if you have the essential recalls, books, and review materials 
• if most of your colleagues passed the test by doing the same thing 

In every exam that you're going to take, both of them have pros and cons so you have to weigh it for yourself but it all goes down to your effort while reviewing. Review center questions can be nerve-wrecking at times and they don't come out in the exams making it somewhat useless. On the other hand, self-study can have so many distractions so you feel like you're not productive on your study time.

Assess if you can make it by yourself or with the help of review centers. These exams should be taken once only. It's hard to fail so make the most of it count as you prepare for the exam. Listen to your gut feeling.

When is the right time to take ASCP exam?

I've received some emails coming from the new board passers asking whether or not they should take the ASCP exam sooner and my answer to this question is... IT DEPENDS.

I know that everybody is thrilled to have an additional title (ASCPi) after their names but here are some thoughts that you might consider before taking ASCP:

1. Make sure you plan to work in US in the future. Although ASCP is the gold standard of certification for laboratory professionals world-wide but take note that there are other countries most especially in the middle east that still require you to take their certification exams such as HAAD, Prometric,and DHA.
2. Speaking about American dream, hospital working experience is prioritized by the employers so take the exam when you are already working in a hospital preferably with at least 2 years experience.
3. In connection to the previous pointer, ASCP certification should be renewed every 3 years and the renewal costs another dollars so think about it. It would be better if you're already working abroad by the time you renew your certification. 
4. Better if you have relatives or friends in the US that could help you to find an employer so that you have the motivation to take as soon as possible. Some people could get out of the country in less than 2 years because they're guaranteed of a job already. 

Well, it may be an advantage for those who recently took the licensure exam because the lessons that they have studied are still fresh in their memory. As they say, 'Strike the rod while it’s hot'. They just need to recap the principles and theories. All they have to do is to familiarize the questions that ASCP gives. 

But those who decide to take the exam late, you need not to fret coz in my experience, it took me 3 years before I book the exam and I found it easier to answer the questions because I was able to put it into practice. There was one question there about the order of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) process and the answer is denaturation- annealing- transcription since I ran PCR in the laboratory sometimes.

My advice is.. take ASCP when you're financially and mentally ready. For me, it's hard to fail a 10000-peso exam so I earned it while I study my review materials and recalls bit by bit for a year to refresh my memory. This is not a competition guys. Walk with your own pace. Don't be pressured nor be envious to the ones ahead of you. Everyone has a break. Plan your dream now!

Evaluation on Evacuated Tube System CHECKLIST

• Examines requisition form
• Greets patient and states procedure to be done
• Identifies patient verbally
• Examines patient's ID band
• Compares requisition information to ID band
• Selects correct tubes and equipment for procedure
• Washes hands
• Puts on gloves
• Positions patient's arm
• Applies tourniquet
• Identifies vein by palpation
• Releases tourniquet
• Cleanses site and allows it to air dry
• Assembles equipment
• Reapplies tourniquet
• Does not touch puncture site with unclean finger
• Removes needle cap and examines the needle
• Anchors vein below puncture site
• Smoothly enters appropriate vein at an angle with bevel up
• Does not move needle when changing tubes
• Collects tubes in correct order
• Mixes tubes promptly
• Fills tubes completely
• Releases tourniquet within 1 minute
• Removes last tube collected from holder
• Covers puncture site with gauze
• Removes the needle smoothly and applies pressure
• Activates any safety feature
• Disposes needle in the sharps container with the safety device activated and attached to the holder
• Labels tubes
• Confirms labeled tube to the patient ID band or has patient verified that the information is correct
• Examines puncture site
• Applies bandage
• Disposes used supplies
• Removes gloves and washes hands
• Thanks patient
• Converses appropriately with patient during the procedure

Entamoeba histolytica: the superstar in OPEH

When encountering watery and mucoid stools, I always suspect it to be Entamoeba. At first look, I can distinguish them already from the WBCs as they're bigger and have a defined wall with nucleus as compared with WBCs that appears to be grainy on the inside.

FYI: The reporting of Entamoeba species should be Entamoeba histolytica/dispar CYST or TROPHOZOITE then your count per high power field.

One can report Entamoeba histolytica species based from the nucleoli present and if it's hematophagous, the one that ingest RBCs

My UNFORGETTABLE Medtech Internship Experience

Team BASA's Day 1 in Sacred Heart Hospital

It was a regret that I haven't written a single article on how my internship days went. With all the busy and toxic shifts that we had plus burning the midnight oil for comprehensive exams, needless to say I had no time for blogging.

Seeing myself in a blue scrub suit gives me the thrill everytime I'm going to work. This is it! The internship stage! I thought this is gonna be the chill life after burying myself in so many textbooks till fourth year first sem but it isn't.

Three years passed and I still have with me the lessons and memories that I've treasured during internship in my heart. Although our six months were not enough but the bond that we formed among the batch and the medtechs still linger.

Well, this is my list of unforgettable medtech moments:

NOTE: Never do some of our mischiefs when your Clinical Instructors are around or you'll be given an extension.

 #1. Quotas

I laughed at the thought of it. Our quotas were hilarious! It says on our intern's handbook that we have to perform 100 CBCs, 100 urinalysis and 100 stool exams for two months in each hospital! Only God knows how we reached that certain number as we write it in our performance handbook or we called it P BOOK with the medtech-on-duty's signature.

#2. Night shift 

 My best shift among the three as I think of sleep, food trip, or even a movie in a chilly and quiet night.

Triple night shifts

As an intern, never did we complain with our 3 Nights and 1 day off scheme as we thought it's a normal schedule for a medtech. But as I work now in a hospital, it dawned on me why we survived that schedule. 

#3. DTR (Daily Time Record)

It's better to forget everything but not the DTR. I see to it that my DTR is in my bag before I leave home. Loss of a DTR is subject for a repeat internship. In our time, we don't have a bundee clock so it's done manually by a medtech assigned in the department. If you're friends with the MT, then it's great :)

#4. Clinical Instructors

In short, CIs. We envied the CIs from the other school as they are approachable and considerate it's just that our CIs are more strict and firm. 

I remember a time when we rushed to complete our quotas as we saw our CIs approaching. It's like ZOMBIES ARE COMING!

To see them in the lab meant a shifting exam so we're no longer surprised if they hand us out testpapers.

#5. Friends

to the center that we love the most

Aside from my batchmates, I was able to make friends with other interns from the other school too. It happened when the hospital allowed two schools to have the internship program. It was wonderful as we exchanged our struggles with research, seminar, and compre exams. Also, it was nice to meet friendly and approachable medtechs as well.

#6 Warding 

warding at night in VSMMC

Probably, the best thing that's ever happened to me all throughout internship esp. when we spent our last two months in a government hospital where life was pretty toxic. This was when our phlebotomy skills (either syringe or ETS) were harnessed, getting blood from all kinds of patients (pedia, geriatric, trauma patients). It made my internship days challenging. The techniques that I developed during internship were useful until I work as a warding medtech. Also, I'll never forget the 'saves' from my co-interns when I'm in difficulty. I realized they are always ready to lend a hand.

 #7 Gloves and masks 

We are required to bring our own gloves and masks but when we're running out of it, we humbly ask the medtech-in charge or sneak to the cabinets of a provision. I hope they didn't mind.

#8 Didactics and Comprehensive exams

Our sweet escape from the stressful duty in the lab but it's not really. Studying after duty is a must but I seem to fail one exam after another. It was a privilege to have one of the names in the field of medical technology, Ms. Anna Leah Navarro to visit us and give us 2 days of lecture in Micro, ISBB and Hema.

#9 Extensions

Lates, absences, and negligence of duty acts are subjected to extensions. I did my best to avoid committing major offenses like damaging hospital's property (like machines) because that would put into a possibility that I may not join the commencement exercises!

I served my extension to my favorite center and that was worth it. I had two weeks of extension because of my lates.

our termi in VSMMC with Mam Jovy

All in all, I enjoyed my internship a lot: I made friends, I practice what I learned in school and it molded me to where I am now. I wish it was longer but six months served its purpose. It made a responsible medtech out of me. I come to love the laboratory even more than just my workplace but a second home and an avenue to help people.

Cherish your internship moments and make it more fun, ridiculous and exciting! 

Busy days in Blood Bank

What's more intoxicating is being assigned in Blood Bank where time is ticking faster than you think. This is where most of us can't go out on time to beat crossmatching procedures and processing blood products. What's more, we've got to take phone calls from the stations and we have to deal donors who at times can be irksome when deferred as he asks an acceptable reason why he can't donate blood.

Although I find this tedious, but being assigned in the blood bank department taught me a lot of things. Aside from honing my phlebotomy skill, I learned to harness my way of dealing with other people.It  taught me to be patient and to be firm to hospital policies when someone tries to bend it. But at the end of the day, what matters most is I've done my work with passion: and that is to be of good service to others who need utmost by providing a COMPATIBLE BLOOD as a gift of life.