Clinical Lab Scientist

Bargaining Unit: EAP

Pay

$60.51/hour + shift differential (DOE)

About the role

Under the direction of Clinical Laboratory management staff and in accordance with regulatory requirements and accreditation standards, performs clinical laboratory functions in a timely manner following specified policies, procedures, and protocols. On a 24x7 basis, performs analysis on blood, body fluids, tissues, and other materials from patients/clients to provide data for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

Responsibilities

• Consistently complies with all applicable Tahoe Forest Health System and Clinical Laboratory policies and procedures.
• Evaluates and solves problems or notifies management of all unresolved operational problems.
• Performs complex analytical tests and procedures, recognizes deviation from expected results, and takes appropriate action to maintain accuracy and precision.
• Ensures data is entered into the LIS (laboratory information system) in a timely manner.
• Effectively communicates with nursing, physicians, and other ancillary staff to ensure effective patient preparation, collection, and specimen handling.
• Reports significant errors or deviations from established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) within the Clinical Laboratory through the Continuous Service Improvement (CSI) process or through the Tahoe Forest Health System “RLDatix” risk management system.
• Recognizes factors that affect measurements and results, analyzes Quality Control (QC) data, makes judgments concerning the results, and takes appropriate action to maintain accuracy and precision.
• Recognizes abnormal test results and answers inquiries about them, the methodology, specificity, and sensitivity; answers questions about specific factors that can influence test results.
• Operates and maintains instrument/equipment, recognizes equipment malfunction, troubleshoots, and repairs as necessary. Notifies clinical departments in a timely manner when equipment/instruments are down and testing may be delayed. Takes appropriate actions to activate backup activities when necessary to ensure safe patient care.
• Acts as the “Medicare Supervisor”/“General Supervisor” per CLIA-88 regulations in the absence of laboratory management staff.
• Maintains current knowledge related to patient safety and laboratory safety requirements. Observes and ensures health and safety requirements for patients and employees both within and outside of the clinical laboratory environment are achieved.
• Consistently contributes to process improvement activities within and outside of the Clinical Laboratory using “lean principles” and the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) approach to enhance operations.
• Helps evaluate new techniques and procedures in terms of space and personnel requirements, method comparison, cost analysis, and the establishment of reference intervals; writes, revises, and/or reviews technical procedures.
• Performs support tasks as required to ensure effective laboratory operations, including but not limited to telephone attendance, clerical duties, inventory management, customer service activities, specimen collection, sample handling, and special procedures.
• Training and mentoring of new personnel may be assigned.
• Scheduling of hours may be changed as necessary to meet the needs of laboratory operations. The ability to work standby and take call-back is required to cover situations when no staff is routinely scheduled or the schedule is vacant.
• Demonstrates System Values in performance and behavior. Understands “Just Culture” utilization at TFHS.
• Complies with System policies and procedures.
• Other duties as may be assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in a health science-related discipline or has fulfilled military requirements to acquire a CA CLS license.
• 1-2 years of relevant experience.
• California Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) license upon hire or Nevada Clinical Laboratory Technologist-General Supervisor License upon hire.
• Functionally knowledgeable of the principles, practices, and procedures in a hospital-based clinical laboratory environment.

Qualifications

• Preferred: Concurrent dual licensure in California and Nevada.
• Preferred: Operations experience in the areas of chemistry, hematology, serology, coagulation, transfusion, parasitology, and microbiology.
• Preferred: Three (3) years of experience as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist.
• Preferred: Previous experience in a hospital laboratory setting.
• Preferred: Microbiology, Phlebotomy, and EKG experience.

Schedule

24x7 operations; ability to work standby and take call-back as needed.