Lab Asst Transfusion DT

Location: 350 7th Street North, Naples, FL, 34102
Full-time, 8-hour evening shift

About NCH

NCH is an independent, locally governed non-profit delivering premier comprehensive care. Our healthcare system is comprised of two hospitals, an alliance of 700+ physicians, and medical facilities in dozens of locations throughout Southwest Florida that offer nationally recognized, quality health care. NCH is transforming into an Advanced Community Healthcare System™, providing higher acuity care and Centers of Excellence, offering Graduate Medical Education and fellowships, endowed chairs, conducting research, participating in national clinical trials, and partnering with other health market leaders like Hospital for Special Surgery, Encompass, and ProScan.

Responsibilities

• Receives and processes all incoming specimens to prepare them for technical assay, ensuring safe handling to reduce cross contamination, pour-off errors, mislabeling, and missed tests.
• Ensures specimens are stored under proper conditions for optimal results.
• Delivers prepared specimens to appropriate areas in a timely manner.
• Procures blood samples for all age groups using knowledge of blood collection devices, order of draw, techniques, age-specific needs, and human anatomy.
• Performs pre-analytical duties associated with accessioning incoming specimens into the lab computer system, evaluating specimen identification and integrity.
• Answers incoming phone calls to the lab, providing information on specimen collection, preservation, test orders, and status to other hospital staff members.
• Demonstrates skillful, courteous competency in blood sample collection procedures, selecting the best equipment and site for tests requested.
• Serves as an expert venipuncture resource for difficult sticks that can’t be drawn by nursing staff.
• Evaluates specimen integrity for samples collected by lab staff, nursing, or medical staff, determining acceptability for requested tests.
• Understands and communicates reasons for specimen rejection, demonstrating good customer service skills when advising patients, nurses, and medical staff.
• Answers 100% of phone calls coming into the laboratory, responding to over 50% of requests personally.
• Communicates courteously and professionally with patients, guests, medical staff, and other hospital staff using phone systems and communication tools.
• Provides accurate information and instructions regarding proper specimen collection, containers, quantities, stability, and preservation for blood, urine, body fluid, and other biological specimens.
• Uses resources to investigate special requests, determining specific test codes and specimen requirements for non-standard orders.
• Assists hospital employees with test orders, test synonyms, profile components, and computer ordering processes.
• Resolves ‘Unlisted Labs’ with a high degree of accuracy.
• Handles specimens safely to maintain sterility, reduce cross-contamination, pour-off errors, and exposures.
• Proficiently uses multiple computer systems and reference resources, including Pathnet, Quest360, and Powerchart.
• Performs patient registration and test selection/order entry with speed and accuracy using various requisitions, clients, and lab computer systems.
• Manages blood collection requests systematically and efficiently to avoid multiple venipunctures of patients.
• Accurately describes and demonstrates all methods of blood sample procurement from hospital patients, including venous, capillary, and heel stick collections.
• Ensures 100% positive patient identification and selects appropriate equipment and site for minimal pain and anxiety.
• Understands policies for exceptional phlebotomy situations, such as pink armbands, IV sites, and blood transfusions.
• Follows established procedures to ensure quality and turnaround time for patient results.
• Performs volume and complexity of phlebotomy draws commensurate with other staff members on the same shift.
• Organizes, assesses, schedules, and dispatches phlebotomy requests to minimize patient venipunctures.
• Recognizes specimens and tests that must be performed at specific times to monitor drug therapy.
• Evaluates, accessions, documents, processes incoming specimens, and delivers samples rapidly to support laboratory turnaround times.
• Demonstrates proper techniques to secure specimens for shipping, avoiding leakage, exposure, and loss.
• Recognizes and reports deviations from procedures and specimens requiring rejection due to stability, preservation, labeling, or integrity issues.
• Investigates incidents and discusses problem resolution with lab technical staff and nursing staff.
• Provides patient reports to healthcare providers while observing HIPAA principles.
• Reviews computer reports to ensure tests are in progress, preventing lost specimens and delays.
• Manages time with little supervision to accomplish immediate and periodic duties, including creating specimen transfer lists for shipping.
• Applies knowledge of culture media types, inoculation techniques, and temperature/incubation requirements to process specimens for culture.

Requirements

• Experience in phlebotomy and/or clinical lab preferred.
• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Excellent customer service skills, basic computer skills, and ability to multitask.
• Intermediate computer knowledge: Uses Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Windows.

On-the-job training provided as necessary.