Fixation on Histology Blog

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Fixation on Histology, NSH’s blog, features quick, easy to read articles on all aspects of the histotechnology field. Learn about techniques, troubleshooting tips, staining methods, laboratory safety, immunohistochemistry, management, inspections, and more, when you subscribe!

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NSH Celebrates the Success of NSH Members

Each year at the NSH Convention, NSH and our sponsors take time to celebrate the accomplishments and ...
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2023 NSH Poster Winners Brought Exciting Research to the NSH Convention

Each year NSH features a robust poster program at its annual convention . This past week during the ...
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How to Make the Most of Your HT/HTL Practice Exams

The American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) is the only organization that certifies histotechnicians ...
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Histotechnologists - A Key Component in Cancer Research

Histopathology is a necessity for a successful clinical trial. Histotechnologists are equipped with an ...
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Tips for Conquering the CAP Checklist for Inspection!

Navigating the CAP checklist in preparation for an on-site inspection can be very overwhelming. Whether ...
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Advice for Navigating Your First NSH Convention

I attended my first National Society for Histotechnology convention last year in Reno, Nevada and had ...
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Biorepositories & Histology

Precision medicine and other healthcare initiatives have resulted in the unprecedented need for “fit ...
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Hot Dog as an Alternative Source for Control Tissue

The Histologic Science Program at Goodwin University offers various courses required to become a histotechnician ...
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Would YOU want YOU for a Coworker?

The time has come for one of your coworkers to leave the lab, and someone new has taken their place. ...
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Exploring the Benefits of Working in a Research Lab

As a histologist, when you say “I work in research” what does that mean? The reality? It can ...
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Tissue Microarray: A Powerful Tool!

Historically, when the words tissue microarray have been mentioned it was considered as a “research only" ...
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From Tricycles to Telsas….Cell Block Standardization for Improving Patient Care

CellBlockistry , a term that defines th e ‘the science of studying the chemistry and the ...
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The Importance of Leadership in a Histology Laboratory

To emphasize the importance of leadership in our practice, let us first define the difference between ...
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Understanding the Value of Process Improvement, Lean, and Six Sigma

The market for health care has been in a state of flux for many decades. There have been constant threats ...
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The Tissue Detective: True Crimes in the Laboratory - A Methodical Approach to Resolving Artifact Issues

As histology professionals, we have several roles we play in the laboratory, but one of the more challenging ...
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Advice for Recent Histology Student Graduates

After graduating from my histotechnology program and passing my HTL exam in 2017, I remember feeling ...
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Safe Handling of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressive dementia associated with an incompletely characterized ...
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Salary Negotiations…The Dance Begins

Salary negotiation is a sensitive topic for both the employer and the job seeker. For example, say ...
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A Closer “Look” at Grossing

Those of us that gross are often called the eyes of the pathologists. This is because of how important ...
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Take the Journey with Me!

You’ve probably seen at least one message from us (and by one we mean 10) that the 2023 NSH Convention ...
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Charter Member Journey - 50 Years of NSH Membership & What I Have Learned

As a 1967 high school graduate in rural South Dakota, interested in science and wanting a “job” where ...
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CAP Changes to Predictive Markers: Tips for Compliance

One of the biggest challenges in any lab is compliance, and with the amount of regulations and rules ...
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Troubleshooting Immunohistochemistry

In the day-to-day work of a histotech, we are always troubleshooting--from processing to embedding, microtomy, ...
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Why You Should Be Subscribed to the CAP/NSH Histology Quality Improvement Program

"Quality is a choice. Choose to make it better.” – Ron Kaufman You make a million choices every ...
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Creating Tissue Microarrays: Manual vs. Automated Tissue Microarrayer

Tissue microarrays (TMAs) are becoming increasingly popular in histology research and for use as a quality ...
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A Cutting Edge Resume Strategy – No Pun Intended!

How many times have you heard “Keep your resume to one page”? Well, if you believed it then you definitely ...
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The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Cancer Diagnosis

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the healthcare sector and it’s impact is already having ...
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Important Skills for Volunteering on a Committee or Board

Volunteering your time in today’s world of burn out can feel like one more thing you don’t have time ...
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Histologist & Artist

In 2010, I was featured in a local magazine for having a "double life" ( Westchester Magazine ). I worked ...
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Tips We Didn’t Find in Textbooks

We, histology laboratory professionals, through various actions behind histology—procedures and stains, ...
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Take the Leap - Submit a Session Proposal to Present at NSH in Baltimore

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, (OK it was really 2012 in Milwaukee, WI) I decided to take ...
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Why We Celebrate

Back in the 1700’s when Marie François Xavier Bicha, who is known as the father of modern histology, ...
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Rainbow Hospital: Establishing a Histology Laboratory in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa

I was fortunate enough to be the recipient of the NSH Lee G. Luna Foreign Travel Scholarship in 2021, ...
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Part II, The Evolution of Multiplex Immunofluorescent Methods in Histotechnology

This is Part II of a two-part series on the evolution of multiplex methods. Read Part I . Using ...
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Part I, The Evolution of Multiplex Immunofluorescent Methods in Histotechnology

This is Part I of a two-part series on the evolution of multiplex methods. Over the last 5 years ...
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Growing an Impactful Journal

On a sunny day in Missouri, you might find Yongfu Wang, PhD, unwinding in his garden as he seeds, fertilizes, ...
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Setting Professional Goals You CAN Achieve

As we start the New Year, this is the time many of us reflect on what we want to achieve, and how we ...
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4 Seasons in One Laboratory

We, histology Laboratory professionals, have our own language that we use when we meet that no one knows ...
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Frozen Storage of Epoxy Resins for TEM and Histology Processing

Epoxy resins are used in conventional transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution light microscopy ...
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Say My Name: Recognition in Histology

The most intimate form of recognition of another’s ability is to ask them for advice, and as a newer ...
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Using Immunohistochemistry Double-Labeling to Detect SARS-Cov-2 Infection

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a useful tool in clinical diagnosis and used to localize specific antigens ...
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Nail Protocol: From H&E to IHCs Getting Nails to Stick

Anytime I hear a histotech talk about cutting nails it’s usually universally negative. It can be a battle ...
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2022 Legislative Symposium

Getting to Washington DC from Fort Worth, TX was a surreal experience. As a first timer, I was taken ...
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Histology in the Philippines

“Histotechs are neglected.” This was the emotional statement from Louie Cadao, Vice President of the ...
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Are All Traveling Histotechnologists the Same?

In the Beginning…. The 1980s ushered in a persistent histologist shortage that created the foundation ...
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Factors that Impact Tissue Embedding

There are different embedding techniques utilized by histotechnology professionals, but no matter which ...
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Celebrating our Members—2022 NSH Awards & Scholarship Recipients

During the 2022 NSH Convention in Reno, NSH had the opportunity to recognize the 2022 Award and Scholarship ...
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Happiness, AI, Ocular Histology…Oh My!

NSH is excited to continue its tradition of bringing you the leading voices of histology with three incredible ...
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The Importance of Cross-Training

As a proud member of the New York State Laboratory Leadership Consortium, consisting of senior laboratory ...
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Volunteerism: A Task Everyone Should Be Involved In

Volunteering is often the first step towards active citizenship and can help strengthen people’s ownership ...
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Root Cause Analysis

What is Root Cause Analysis? I have been working in the histology profession for more than 40 years ...
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IHC Past, Present, and Future

Today, immunohistochemistry (IHC) is an essential and routinely used ancillary tool in anatomic pathology ...
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Diet, DIY and Prevention of Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable types of cancer. In 2020, it was estimated ...
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If I Knew What I Know Now: Onboarding PCR in a Histology Lab

My histology lab onboarded polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for dermatomycosis a couple of years ago. ...
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The Role of the Field Application Specialist – Your Partner in the Lab!

You may have been advised in the past to contact your field applications specialist or sales rep when ...
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Creating an SBAR, Know Your Audience

The Joint Commission established National Patient Safety Goals in 2002 to address patient safety in healthcare. ...
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Creating Your Career Path

As a former Program Director for a Histologic Science Program, I worked closely with students in the ...
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How You Can Train Clinical Students Without Feeling Overwhelmed

The Paradox of Clinical Students It’s a paradox histology lab supervisors are all too familiar with ...
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Self Awareness

The ongoing pandemic, staffing shortages and the “Great Resignation” all highlight the importance of ...
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A Nail Specimen Technique

Over the years, I have encountered numerous techniques to soften and section nail specimens. This includes ...
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“I Have Already Invented It!” A Tribute to James B. McCormick, M.D.

Dr. James B. McCormick – pathologist, scientist, inventor, educator, mentor, friend, and colleague! ...
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Tips to Increase Workflow Efficiencies in the Laboratory

In the current atmosphere of workforce shortages and staff burnout, increasing efficiencies in the lab ...
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NSH Names Aubrey M.J. Wanner Next CEO & Executive Director

The National Society for Histotechnology has named Aubrey M.J. Wanner as its new CEO & Executive ...
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Tips to Ensure Your Email Communication is Effective

It is not news to anyone that in today’s world, we rely heavily on email as a primary form of communication ...
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CAP Inspection Quick Tip: Let’s talk about CAP Activity Menus!

It is extremely important to make sure your CAP Activity Menu is accurate and up to date. CAP standard ...
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Demonstrating the Fun of Histotechnology

I have been working in histology for over a decade, in various types of labs and settings. No matter ...
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Effective Work Flow Planning Improves Your Lab’s Performance

Managing workflow within your lab has always been a difficult task, with many different competing priorities. ...
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ASCP CMP: Upcoming Important Changes That You Need to Know

The ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) recognizes the vital work of laboratory professionals in response ...
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