New York State Licensure

Welcomed all, to my radio podcast “Meet Minerva, the Microbiologist”. My name is Minerva A. Garcia, Associate Director Microbiology at Jacobi Medical Center NYC Health & Hospitals Corp. in NYC. In today’s podcast I’ll be talking about

1. Difficulties in NYS Certification Clinical Laboratory Professionals in Licensure
2. Covid update

As I start an analogy a poem, I experienced hardship, perseverance and lack of support from my co-workers. I believe this poem titled “An American Solider” suited my character well.

I looked back and wondered why I had no role models, and how did I get here today?”

Knowing that, I am not a follower but, a leader, am a striver, which doesn’t like never give up… I am an initiator with a purpose.

With this in mind, I like to share one of my poem titled: An American Soldier Part 1

And it goes like this.

An American Soldier Part 1

The land of freedom we stand

This soldier of an American soil lands

Fighting for peace and for his land

Come free this man from pains

He will always stand tall looking for someone

To aid and alleviate all their pains

Away from home and his patriots too

For wants to live not insane but, free from pains

If ever, question this man, “Why such deeds my friend?’

He will reply, “Man should never live like this!’

Why explain?

I see at times we can be insane, and who are we to blame? “Fathers of the heavens, wherever you may be, listen …

We all want to breathe a little free

Teach us to learn to be like this and be at peace

Moreover, would be no need for soldiers to be

We tried to reach and seek others some freedom

But instead, they slapped me and placed it on their back

For they buried peace on their yard

For they think never existed and cannot be now …

I shall fight until there’ll be peace

Because I believe in me and no one

Can take that away from me

I’ve died for all

I died the day you denied a Vet

I really would die for any US soil man

I die a blank man in blood with my SS ID

Oh’ no not I …

So, let’s get started!

1. Difficulties in NYS Certification Clinical Laboratory Professionals licensure

I saw the problem facing the lab profession: No licensing!

The lack of improper education by some staff & incoming staff. The need for administration, health agencies and union to work with me in a collaborated effort to improve this profession. There was no monitoring nor incentive to stay in the field. Staff with College degree were leaving the field for higher paying health professions opportunities. I had to face confrontations heads on without support. It was a struggle to get this profession licensed, the oppositions faced were cruel and unjustifiable, no matter, I continued and triumphed. I had to gathered petitions from colleagues, and other department in support and presented to our hospital’s CEO, which he disregarded in its importance was not recognized.

I was left with no other choice but to create another strategy, being 1199 support. I gathered support from congressman, senators and lobbied in Albany in order to get a bill passed for laboratory staff to become licensed. I used the logic; hair salons staff are all licensed and we performed critical tests and yet not required to be licensed!

!This was absolutely absurd. I’ve never looked back since… today, am witness to the fruits of my labor. I like to talk about leaders that inspired at the time when I struggled for licensure. As I walked in the streets of 42nd street in Times Square in NYC with many members of 1199 marching. I was conversing and having a great time laughing and OMG, they treated me as one of them. It was incredibly nice being there… I got invitations from two great politicians. It was true an amazing time for me to be among these two great leaders. These leaders were: Dennis Rivera and Jose Serrano, which I’ll discussed later.

Mr. Rivera came to hospital, where I worked at Beth Israel Medical Center personally thanking me for the participation and efforts. Mr. Serrano invited me to visit the Bronx and get a personal tour and to get involved in politics. He recommended me to move to his borough and run for office there, he was sure The Bronx and its people would welcomed me. Today, I have the privilege to work in this borough in the capacity of Associate Director Microbiology. He was right, the people of this borough has received me well.

Dennis Rivera, a former labor official, “nationally recognized health care leader” who has been speaking about the issues facing the healthcare system since 1992. Mr. Rivera was President of 1199 in 1989 til 1998, building & strengthening 1199 by becoming one of the most powerful Union in all of New York. In 1998, the Union merged with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). He soon became chair of SEIU’s Healthcare Division. Served as president of the enormous NY-based healthcare workers union SEIU 1199 for nearly 20 years between 1989 and 2007. Since then, he has continued to maintain a presence as one of the most influential figures in the labor movement & NY Democratic politics.

This took me in a new journey with 1199 headquarters leadership. I worked closely with 1199 SEIU headquarters staff like Deborah Hunt and David Kravitz in ensuring we get licensed. I gathered petitions gathering signatures and forwarding them to 1199 SEIU, congressman and senators to gain support in Albany for licensure. I met Jose Serrano in one of the rallies and even Hilary Clinton. Now looking back, that really a wow meeting Hilary. I was walking hand in hand-in-hand with Dennis Rivera and Jose Serrano. We had conversations, which both encouraged me into a life of politics. It was very exciting and encouraging for me to be next to these two great politicians. They were very honorable and respectful to me.

José Enrique Serrano,a politician who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1990 until his retirement in 2021. At the time I met Mr. Serrano, he represented South Bronx in New York City proudly. Due to all these efforts, a bill was introduced and passed in the senate…

LICENSURE: If you were approved and got your services reviewed by NYS Department of Education, then you were grandfathered into the field. This was reassuring qualified staff were in this field.

Pathways to licensure for Clin Lab Technologist and for Certified Clinical Laboratory Technician include:

1. The special provisions (grandparenting): When the professions were first created, applicants could meet various special provisions including experience or a combination of education and experience to be licensed without examination.

2.Pass NY State licensure courses, Exam, unless otherwise exempt under the law- grandfather-in or by meeting education requirements BS MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, 1 YEAR INTERSHIP PROGRAM IN HSOPITAL SETTING meet examination requirements, Pass ASCP EXAM Received a Bachelor’s or higher degree in clinical laboratory technology (or a related title) from: CERTIFIED BY NYS Education Department Office of the Professions at PO Box 22063 Albany, NY 12201

Looking back how I got here, I am glad I stay in the health profession and not join a life of politics. I tried politics early on by being my schools Secretary and Vice-President in JHS, and refused by the Student Government teacher-in-charged to accept a Latina. Since becoming a Candy Stripper at twelve years old, I got a taste of the healthcare. I knew this was my calling. Today, looking back I know in my heart I did right by choosing this field. I feel, I done the Clinical Laboratory Profession well by championed a cause I highly believed in and a passion for the laboratory. It took a lot of guts and strength in my part to fulfill this dream of licensure in order to ensure qualified staff are handling all patients testing and monitoring this profession take effect. I was grateful to have met all these great leaders on way to this journey that I sought to make accomplishments.

2. Covid update

I like to start by emplacing the importance of vaccination. You can go to link online, to find a COVID-19 vaccine Center near you at: Vaccine.gov

Everyone should get involved, tell your families, friend & neighbors -get vaccinated.

If we’re to control this virus from spreading and get back to a normal routine as before. We must all take a proactive approach & role by getting vaccinated. Get the word out!

These vaccines are safe with minimal side effects. These vaccines were tested and review by panelist, scientist, peer-reviewed then scientific data review by the FDA in order to get stamp of approval as Emergency Use Only (EUA).

EUA, means that when these vaccines were test, less data was gathered, licensure will follow as more data are gathered, there will see in the future vaccine with stamp of approval and license.

We should all feel safe in getting these vaccines. Stringent guidelines were followed in order to me Emergency Use Only (EUA) approval.

SARS-CoV-2 was not bioengineered by man. It was a natural occurring virus that has come about in nature. It is a zoonotic virus, where transmission occurred from animal jumping to human. This is what this term “Zoonotic” means.

Vaccine TECHNOLOGY Pfizer & Moderna: Mechanism MRNA, Messenger RNA

• The MRNA teaches our body how to make this protein, the spike of the protein on the corona virus

• It’s one of three kinds of ribonucleic acid (RNA) that all work together to translate pure genetic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) information into proteins in your body.
• It’s taken scientists decades to identify this specific mechanism and turn it into medicine. We this CoVid vaccine, took less than a year to come.

We know that due to vaccination, these successes have already occurred in the USA:

1. Hospitalization rate are down by 70%

2. Fatality rate down

3. Positivity rate 24,000 a week now 4,000 a week

3. Testing down from In Jan 2021, lab testing 30,000 a week now 3,000

4. Trends of spreading also down, excellent news

As of May 7, 2021, these are an update in millions, we know that: 8.6 fully vaccinated with single dose, 149.5 received at least one of the vaccines, 100.3 at least two dosage vaccine and 108.9 fully vaccinated, where in 10 people 65 years & older have received at least one dose of vaccine, only around 1 in 3 people ages 18-29 have been vaccinated. We know that all age groups currently eligible for the vaccine can benefit from the protection easing

Prevention measures: Continue hand washing, using your mask, don’t touch your eyes, mouth and nose, practice 6 feet distance… you must get vaccinated. Until we all vaccinated, we can’t fully control fully this pandemic. VACCINATION is the only way to control this virus.

NOTE: The companies behind the two most promising mRNA vaccines, are building on years of research, as well as growing track records with some complex and cutting-edge therapies for other health conditions.

Israelidata suggest mass vaccinations led to drop in severe Covid casesand in February 2021, Covid-19 vaccine 84% of Israel’s population 70 & older had received shot.

This massive vaccination has led to a drop in severe cases among the 70-and-older population. By now most of its citizen has been vaccinated creating HERD IMMUNITY.

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be 95% effective in preventing Covid-19, in Israeli data offers an early glimpse into how effective the vaccine is in a real-world setting.

CRISIS: Viruses within the lineage B.1.617, which first appeared in India is a real concern globally. India must be a risk of loosing many of their population. Globally its threat to controlling this pandemic.

Final NOTE

Next threat could a bioterrorism, zoonotic in nature and/or an outbreak of an unknown origin.

A mutating strain of bird flu emerged in Russia most likely human-to-human transmission. 1st case of H5N8 transmission to humans caused by poultry (chickens). H5N8 strain, which is lethal for birds — has never previously been reported to have spread among humans. This problem, if not control, could become a real threat to our worldly population and humanity.

OPINION DISCLAIMER:

The views & opinions expressed in this podcast are solely myown &my guests, and not of any institutions or corporations.

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