Laboratory Supervisor - Microbiology

About the role

This position supervises the operation of laboratory services in assigned areas by supervising personnel and overseeing day-to-day workflow.

Responsibilities

• Aid Managers in supervising all lab areas to ensure appropriate personnel coverage.
• Affirm adequate staffing and appropriate staff in support of the hospital's mission of patient care.
• Participate in the orientation of new staff.
• Provide input for staff's annual performance appraisals, disciplinary actions, and terminations, based on documented performance within time frames established by the institution.
• Coordinate and ensure all Reference Laboratory specimens are sent to appropriate reference laboratories and results are received within specified time frame.
• In conjunction with LIS personnel and technical staff, coordinate all computer downtime activities in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Operate and supervise the operation of laboratory equipment consistent with standard operating procedures and promptly prepare patient specimens in accordance with standard operating policies.
• Solicit and provide input for the development and/or revision of standard operating procedures and department policies.
• Maintain working knowledge of current hospital and lab administrative and safety policies/ procedures as well as the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) if applicable, and apply these policies consistently and seek management guidance when needed.
• Respond, research, and answer to customer inquiries and perform a variety of duties related to customer service in accordance with hospital and laboratory policies and procedures.
• Monitor customer service activities and day-to-day Specimen Processing and/or Phlebotomy activities to identify potential problems and provide possible solutions.
• Request input and direction, as needed, from the Medical Director(s), Administrative Director, and/or Manager(s) regarding medical and technical issues, employee training, quality assurance and quality control procedures.
• Organize time, materials, and resources in an economical manner, prioritizing laboratory requests by assessing and adjusting workload and staffing to provide for optimal patient care and efficiency.
• Participate in various activities (i.e., staff meetings, in-services, etc.) to disseminate information to laboratory staff, allied health personnel, Medical Director(s), physicians, and nurses by written and/or verbal means.
• Maintain laboratory communication and ensure that information concerning new policies and procedures is available to staff in a timely manner and is incorporated into routine policies and procedures.
• Review and evaluate, as needed, quality control records and test results to determine analytical errors, shifts, and trends and correlate data to assure quality patient test results.
• Assist in organizing time, materials, and resources in an economical manner, and prioritize laboratory requests by assessing and arranging workload throughout all laboratory sections within the division to provide for optimal patient care and efficiency.
• Ensure daily completeness of all workload within established turnaround times by flexing organization of work according to test ordering status (e.g., routine, STAT, ASAP, emergency), and by reviewing pending test results (e.g., daily monitoring, turnaround studies).
• Initiate effective communication with supervisory personnel and all other laboratory personnel, other hospital departments, and patient/public, as necessary, to assure dissemination of information and the identification/resolution of problems in support of the hospital's mission of patient care.
• May participate in the technical and theoretical instruction, supervision, and evaluation of residents and students of the School of Medicine, as established by laboratory policies (e.g., laboratory objectives, evaluation forms).

Preferred Qualifications

• One of the following national certifications through the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) or American Medical Technologists (AMT):
  • Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)
  • Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS)
  • Cytotechnologist (CT)
  • Histotechnologist (HTL)

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to lift or pull up to 25 pounds.

Working Environment

• Cognizant of environmental factors, infection control issues, and maintains a safe environment.
• Often loud, noisy environment.
• Ability to tolerate foul or unpleasant specimen odors.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrate competency in service to different patient populations such as; Neonates, Pediatrics, Adolescents, Adults, and Geriatrics.
• Knowledge in both medical technology and management principles.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Additional Job Description

• Oversees the daily operation of the microbiology lab.
• Works with the Lab Manager, Technical Director, and Laboratory Medical Director to ensure proper functioning of the lab.
• Responsible for staff compliance with testing procedures and quality assurance.
• Provides input to performance evaluations for the laboratory personnel.
• Assists technical director in maintenance and update of procedure manual as well as validation of new tests.
• Closely monitors specimen turnaround time and coordinates daily workload and staffing requirements.
• Responsible for ensuring and maintaining quality control and quality assurance measures in the laboratory.
• Performs duties of microbiology technologist as needed.
• Maintains compliance with CAP by reviewing checklists and implementing any required changes.

Schedule

Scheduled Weekly Hours 40