Blood Component Specialist Trainee

ARUP Laboratories Career•Salt Lake City, UT

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Blood Component Specialist Trainee learns the duties, procedures, and regulatory requirements of a Blood Component Specialist at ARUP Laboratories. The role works in a highly regulated manufacturing environment to produce and modify blood products and components for transfusion, maintaining traceability throughout the manufacturing process. Work includes handling and entering data, preparing specimens, manufacturing and modifying products, controlling inventory, selecting and dispensing blood components, answering telephone calls, performing and documenting quality control and equipment maintenance, and resolving minor problems. Trainees must pass the ARUP Blood Component Specialist Examinations at the end of training and another examination within nine months of hire. The position is in Transfusion Services at University Hospital. The regular schedule is a 7-on/7-off B-week schedule, 11:00 AM–9:30 PM. Training is Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM, for approximately three months. Flu vaccination or a medical or religious exemption is required before starting. Candidates with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) in biology, chemistry, and/or medical sciences may apply for a career-ladder advancement opportunity: a structured blood banking program under the auspices of a NAACLS-accredited Medical Laboratory Scientist Program. ARUP Laboratories is a national clinical and anatomic pathology reference laboratory and an enterprise of the University of Utah and its Department of Pathology, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The organization describes its workplace as focused on diversity, professional growth, continuous development, accountability, integrity, service, and excellence.

Requirements

Pass the ARUP Blood Component Specialist Examinations at the end of training and another examination within nine months of hire.
Accurately identify samples, perform tests, and report results with absolute integrity.
Comply with ARUP policies and procedures.
Use personal protective equipment in accordance with CDC and OSHA regulations and company and departmental policies.

Nice To Haves

A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) in biology, chemistry, and/or medical sciences qualifies candidates to apply for the structured blood banking career-ladder program under a NAACLS-accredited Medical Laboratory Scientist Program.

Responsibilities

Evaluate sample acceptability for pre-transfusion testing and check patient histories for prior testing or problems.
Order blood bank tests in the computer.
Dispense cross-matched or reserved products to nursing services and select and dispense trauma or uncross-matched blood in emergencies.
Receive and properly store blood products from donor processing or outside suppliers.
Control blood product inventory, including tracking and disposing of expired products and releasing reserved units when cross-matches expire.
Return or ship blood and blood products to suppliers or other hospitals as required.
Select, thaw, modify, and reserve fresh frozen plasma for patients.
Modify and reserve platelets for patients.
Select, modify, and reserve blood products for neonatal transfusions.
Leukocyte-reduce red blood cells and platelets by filtration using the sterile docking system, with correct documentation, labeling, and computer product modification.
Irradiate red blood cells, whole blood, or platelets using the blood irradiator, with correct documentation, labeling, and computer product modification.
Thaw and pool cryoprecipitate units, with correct documentation, labeling, and computer product modification.
Wash red cells using COBE instruments, including selecting the proper unit, setting up the instrument, and completing documentation, labeling, and computer product modification.
Thaw frozen red blood cells and deglycerolize thawed units using COBE instruments, including instrumentation setup and required documentation, labeling, and computer product modification.
Take appropriate action when blood or product storage refrigerators, freezers, or platelet incubators sound alarms.
Log and store blood bank reagents and supplies.
Participate in the blood bank Quality Assurance program, including variance reporting, cGMP training, and other regulatory activities.
Perform and document quality control and equipment maintenance within predetermined parameters.
Maintain the work area; clean benchtops and equipment after spills and at the end of the shift as required.
Document work as required, stock and maintain supplies, date and rotate supplies so older stock is used first, and discard expired reagents while notifying the appropriate supervisor or designee.
Answer telephone calls and perform minor problem-solving and other duties as assigned.