Medical Laboratory associate I

Responsibilities

• Understands and adheres to Performance Standards, Policies and Behaviors
• Demonstrate knowledge of department and hospital policies and procedures and their execution
• Handle telephone inquiries, transfer as needed
• Receive, accession and process specimens in order to ensure timely reporting of results. Ensures positive patient identification
• Perform registration in HIS as needed
• Process reference lab testing as needed
• Perform testing as needed
• Independently troubleshoot specimen-related problems
• Assist with training new employees
• Maintain hardware and equipment as needed
• Uses computer programs in laboratory and hospital-based systems to ensure accurate data entry and retrieval
• Perform other duties as needed
• Blood bank (if applicable)
• Announce MTP; assist with set up, issue, replacement of blood products
• Select ABO Rh compatible platelets and FFP, set up on patient, print compatibility tag
• Issue blood products after thorough review of blood product release form
• Accept blood products back into inventory or discard returned blood products after determining suitability
• May irradiate blood products and go to the OR to retrieve blood products
• Microbiology (if applicable)
• Understands sterile technique and best practices
• Pre-analytical specimen processing includes tissue grinding, media or lysis inoculation, and manual agar streaking
• Understands appropriate incubation environments based on specimen type and protocol
• Operates pre-analytical instrumentation including laboratory automation systems, centrifuges, biosafety cabinets, and environmental incubation systems
• Proficient in applicable staining techniques including Gram stain preparation
• Pathology (if applicable)
• Assist with FNAs and frozen sections when applicable. Assist with office duties as needed.
• Sign off on the hazardous waste manifest when needed.
• Packaging and shipping all AP specimens.
• Registration of all AP samples.
• Pre-analytical specimen processing includes aliquoting of specimens for additional testing
• Slide/block cover slipping, distribution, and/or filing.
• Disposal of pathology specimens
• Maintaining cytology/histology department daily and monthly maintenance charts
• Responsible for cleaning and maintenance in accordance with universal precautions
• Under direct supervision of the pathologist assistant or pathologist, preserving samples for testing
• Aid in H&E slide preparation, including loading and unloading of slides into/from auto-stainer, and operating cover slipper.
• Transcribing pathology gross description and/or diagnosis.

Qualifications

• EDUCATION HS Diploma or equivalency exam
• Experience not required
• Special Skills
• Excellent communication skills and customer service skills
• Basic computer skills
• Consistently interacts with coworkers and customers in a positive manner
• Cooperatively and proactively assists in other areas as needed in a teamwork-oriented environment
• Maintains procedure knowledge and implements all new and revised procedures in real-time
• Maintains all Quality Control and Quality Assurance standards at all times

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran