Administrative Director, Blood Bank - Bellevue Hospital

NYU Langone Health • New York, NY

11d • $146,384 - $175,000 • Onsite

About The Position

NYU Grossman School of Medicine is a top-ranked medical school with a 175-year history of training physicians and scientists. As an integral part of NYU Langone Health, the school is dedicated to improving the human condition through education, research, and patient care. NYU Langone Health values equity and inclusion, striving to be a place where diverse talent can thrive. This role is responsible for planning, developing, organizing, implementing, directing, and evaluating Blood Bank laboratory operations at Bellevue Hospital. The position involves monitoring workload, workflow, turnaround time (TAT), and technical staff performance, ensuring compliance with the Bellevue mission and providing safe and timely transfusion services. The role requires adherence to guidelines from AABB, CAP, NYS DoH, FDA, CLIA, Joint Commission, EPA, OSHA, and the Blood Bank Quality Assurance Plan and Self Assessment (BBQAPSA). The position works under general direction.

Requirements

• Education and experience equivalent to the guidelines mandated by CAP, CLIA/CLIS and NYSDOH requirements.
• Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Laboratory Technology from a program registered by the NYS Department of Education or Bachelor's Degree in the major of biology, chemistry or physical sciences from an accredited college or university or at least five years of experience in a similar laboratory including previous supervisory experience.
• NYS technologist license from the Office of the Professions, State Education Department, State of New York.
• Minimum of six (6) years in a clinical laboratory with supervisory/management responsibilities and knowledgeable in all areas of the Blood Bank.
• Knowledgeable in Quality Control procedures and Laboratory Automation.
• Effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Qualified candidates must be able to effectively communicate with all levels of the organization.

Nice To Haves

• ASCP, NCA, BB, or SBB credentials in addition to the minimum requirements.
• Familiar with HCLL work experience in a large volume hospital, preferred.

Responsibilities

• Complies with the BHC Department of Pathology Administrative policies and procedures.
• Develops and implements departmental operating policies and procedures in accordance with Bellevue Hospital policies and procedures and requirements of regulatory agencies.
• Assures compliance with regulatory agencies (FDA, AABB, NYS, EPA, OSHA, JCAHO, CAP, CLIA, etc) in areas of service and personnel; maintains awareness of current regulatory requirements.
• Ensure that all necessary remedial actions are taken and documented whenever significant deviations from the laboratory's established performance specifications are identified.
• Develops and implements systems for evaluating, revising, and communicating policies and procedures.
• Designs technical manuals, protocols, forms. Reviews, revises, and approves them according to laboratory procedures and regulatory agencies.
• Develops short and long range plans for the accomplishment of goals.
• Responsible for the maintenance and troubleshooting of all automated equipment.
• Suggests plans for Transfusion committees blood and component utilization monitoring, prepares reports, and carries out recommendations of same.
• Maintains and documents a preventative maintenance program to ensure equipment and instruments are in good working condition.
• Uses verifiable data as a basis for planning.
• Anticipates deviation from plans and makes adjustments as necessary.
• Communicates the reason for a delay in accomplishing a plan to the Director within a reasonable time.
• Demonstrates knowledge of Blood Bank Quality Assurance Plan Self Assessment (BBQAPSA) including the ten BB organizational standards known as Quality System Essentials based on the current AABB standards.
• Develops and encourages a program of staff development.
• Plans the orientation and eventual development of a staff in advance of implementation.
• Trains and or Supervises the training of new employees.
• Instructs the staff clearly in the organization, procedures, and protocols of the department.
• Explains safety, infection control, emergency procedure, documentation requirements, workplace (equipment, location of supplies, etc) to staff.
• Ensures that laboratory policies and laboratory procedures are up-to-date, well organized and accessible to staff.
• Encourages subordinates to pursue continuing education and seek professional growth.
• Creates a receptive climate for inquisitiveness.
• Recognizes and identifies staff needs and develops staff programs to meet these needs through discussions, in-service training, work flow changes, etc.
• Evaluates and implements new procedures/techniques.
• Makes material/literature in the field available to the staff.
• Oversees orientation of new staff members effectively and maintains records of performance.
• Supervises the staff of Blood Bank lab.
• Interviews prospective employees, evaluates and documents staff performance, performs personnel counseling with the assistance of the Administrative Director of Pathology.
• Interviews prospective employees and makes recommendations regarding hiring to the Director and the Administrative Director of Pathology.
• Performs staff evaluation and offer recommendations and guidance for improving performance.
• Recognizes the need to counsel subordinates and performs counseling in a timely fashion.
• Explains to the employee clearly what his/her responsibilities are and the standards of the performance to the employee.
• Disciplines subordinates when necessary and in accordance with collective bargaining and hospital policies and procedures.
• Brings to the employees attention areas of performance needing improvement a soon as they are recognized with a plan and time frame for correction.
• Approaches the performance review period constructively and conducts it in accordance with personnel and departmental guidelines and procedures.
• Coordinates technical functions and activities, and allocates resources to ensure the operation of the Blood Bank laboratory.
• Establishes work hours for employees (including breaks, lunches, and necessary overtime).
• Assigns responsibilities among staff and monitors their work.
• Defines the expected outcome and time of completion clearly to staff.
• Communicates the objective of the assignment to the employee.
• Assigns work in order to accomplish goals in timely fashion.
• Solicits feedback from the employee to ensure the assignment is understood.
• Oversees Blood and Component Accession for accurately reconciling shipments, inspecting blood and components for acceptance, accessioning into HCLL, labeling, placing on quarantine and/or performing confirmatory testing and storing in correct order in controlled temp devices.
• Voluntarily fills in down time with this activity.
• Pre-transfusion compatibility testing (PTCT) Sample Triage: accurately reviews and accepts/rejects patient samples for PTCT; performs & records thorough transfusion history and triages work according to SOP.
• Pre-transfusion compatibility testing (PTCT) Testing: Accurately tests and reports and reports ABO/RH, Atypical red cell antibody screen, EC, AHG XM, DAT, AID, Supplementary cell selection, FMH screens, and antibody titers.
• Competent to perform and review all laboratory donor processes, inventory management, patient testing, blood dispensing, and information systems processes in all workstations.
• Prepares reports and oversees all departmental documentation.
• Reviews and revises the standards of written documentation on a regular basis for appropriateness and compliance with established laboratory standards and regulations.
• Completes necessary read and sign documents for SOP updates in a timely manner.
• Assists in the preparation of an annual report of the Blood Bank Laboratory in accordance with established guidelines.
• Compiles and completes monthly statistics and quality assurance reports.
• Prepares statistical data of departmental operations for submission to Director and Pathology management.
• Demonstrates knowledge of Documents and Records: uses computer systems to conduct patient, donor, tissue (stem cells) testing and processing activities recognizing and safeguarding the control functions of the systems designed to protect blood donors and recipients.
• Understands, respects and maintains other work records, including record retention requirements, as set forth in the AABB Standards and in the Bellevue BBQAPSA.
• Familiar with BBQAPSA policy and procedure manual.
• Understands the importance of systems-based error reporting and uses Occurrence Report Form (ORF) as intended to contribute patient and donor safety in a non-punitive environment focused on process improvement.
• Knows records retention requirements for HCLL patient, inventory, donor records.
• Consistently retrieves necessary and sufficient available data from all computer systems and subsystems consistent with security access, including HIS, HCLL, LIS.
• Familiar with computer down records, documents, policies and forms.
• Maintains an awareness of cost control by evaluating practices and identifying areas of excessive material and/or costs.
• Approves payroll information and initiates OT request.
• Monitors consumables to ensure that adequate supplies are available at all times for automated and manual procedures.
• Develops more efficient inventory management system to alleviate blood shortages and reduce expenditure.
• Track inventory of all supplies and place orders.
• Keeps laboratory stocked with all supplies necessary for operation and reorders supplies when the inventory level indicates the need.
• Enters orders into GHX, investigates problems with orders and follows up on supplies not received with the vendors.
• Evaluates, determines, and orders new supplies necessary for improving the quality of tests performed and the maintaining the safety of workers.
• Participates in cost control activities by seeking the most effective method of delivering quality services, and maintains an awareness of the cost impact of decisions and actions.
• Evaluates practices and identifies areas of excessive material and/or costs.
• Demonstrates core knowledge of Process Control functions and is able to safely and successfully control the related processes of blood acquisition, storage, distribution, pre-transfusion compatibility testing, blood dispensing, adverse reaction management and component modification.
• Supervises and coordinates the supply chain functions and processes for Blood Bank Lab from Requisition through PO creation to inventory Management.
• Arranges and reschedules within the constraints of collective bargaining agreement and Hospital policies in order to avoid overtime.
• Redesigns workflow patterns for smoother operations in order to provide better service and reduce overtime.
• Uses consumables efficiently.
• Interacts with sales representatives, investigates, and determines the most serviceable and cost effective materials and instrumentation for laboratory operations.
• Ensures that all lab equipment is in proper working order by making daily inspections and arranges for necessary repairs.
• Consistently completes and/or reviews Transfusion Reaction Investigation Forms thoroughly and accurately, documenting investigation, and testing, before submitting for medical director review.
• Understands requirements to submit federal Biological Product Deviations, NYS Errors Incidents and Accidents reports.
• Blood product labeling discrepancies and shipping/distribution anomalies are investigated and reported immediately to supervisor, such as Stem Cell temp monitors, CMV required neg units, antigen negative units, etc.
• Internal/External Assessments.
• Participates as directed in corrective action plans; preventive action planning, and quality monitoring activities.
• Completed twelve CEUs per year.
• Participates successfully in proficiency exams.
• Reviews appropriate audit systems to ensure accuracy and validity of patient records.
• Evaluates work trends and staffing needs and makes adjustments accordingly.
• Attends and participates in Quarterly Pathology QA meetings, monthly clinical lab QA meetings, and monthly Supervisors meeting.
• Maintains competency in all areas of Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine.
• Performs Quality Control and /or process audit functions as scheduled and according to SOP.
• Component Modification: Consistently performs correct: 1) Blood irradiation, 2) Sterile docking, 3) LRC selection, 4) Hgb S negative testing (SDX) and selection, 5) CMV recording according to SOP.
• Inventory management: regularly follows SOP for blood and components selection, consistently adhering to FIFO system where dictated by SOP.
• Schedules routine meetings with Director of Service and Administrative Director of Department.
• Presents new and innovative ideas, giving them the appropriate follow-up and makes adjustments if necessary.
• Understands what the departmental goals are and sets objectives in order to reach them.
• Utilizes quality improvement reports, incident reports, and accident reports, to improve quality of service.
• Establishes, maintains, and monitors a comprehensive and effective quality improvement program that includes quality control, preventive maintenance, safety program, data and material management, and quality of service.
• Demonstrates knowledge and awareness of Blood Bank (BB) Deviation, Non-conformance and Complications.
• Successfully intervenes to prevent product non-conformance and its possible consequences including: fatal donor and recipient transfusion reactions; transfusion reaction (TX RCT) detection and resolution; reporting, and evaluation of donor or recipient complications.
• Understands and carries out all procedures regarding products that are nonconforming, especially as pertain to inspection at accession, preparation and dispensing.
• Appropriately detects, evaluates and reports suspected complications experienced by transfusion recipients. (Anaphylaxis, TRALI, AHTR, DHTR, Septic Shock, FNHTR, Anaphylactoid, Urticarial, Fluid Overload).
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Financial security benefits
• Generous time-off program
• Employee resources groups for peer support
• Holistic employee wellness program (physical, mental, nutritional, sleep, social, financial, and preventive care)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager