Clinical Lab Assistant, Laboratory

Heywood Hospital•Gardner, MA

1d•$22 - $28•Onsite

About The Position

Heywood Healthcare values its employees and offers competitive wages, great benefits, and generous earned time off. This Per Diem position involves day and evening shifts, including weekends. The role focuses on supporting technical laboratory staff in specimen processing and performing waived laboratory testing. The salary range is $22.09 - $28.33, with final compensation based on experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity.

Requirements

Associate of Science in Biology, or completion of core courses in this area of study preferred.
Previous phlebotomy experience preferred.
Six months to one year of experience preferred.
Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
Frequently reaches (extending hands and arms in any direction), and handles (seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or working with hands).
Achievement motivation
Concern for order
Flexibility
Initiative
Self-confidence
Customer service oriented
Interpersonal effectiveness
Teamwork
Analytical thinking
Information seeking

Nice To Haves

Associate of Science in Biology, or completion of core courses in this area of study preferred.
Previous phlebotomy experience preferred.
Six month to one year experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Identifies patients correctly by checking identification wristbands and confirming with patients or healthcare professionals.
Verifies physician orders to ensure all tests are ordered correctly.
Reviews testing requirements and ensures necessary supplies are available before obtaining samples.
Communicates with technical laboratory staff regarding timed, urgent, or stat specimens to ensure timely processing.
Assists with and performs packaging of specimens for transport to other reference laboratories, following criteria for centrifugation, separation, transport, and storage.
Records specimen shipment details in the hospital-wide computer system.
Performs laboratory tasks to assist technical staff, including taking and documenting temperatures, planting microbiologic cultures, discarding specimens, aliquoting specimens, making blood smears, performing GRAM stains, staining peripheral blood smears, logging in, processing, labeling, and staining PAP smears, filling VITEK cards (under supervision), and putting away reagents/supplies.
May perform waived Laboratory testing (e.g., urine color/clarity, specific gravity, dipstick, pregnancy tests, fecal occult blood, gastric blood, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rates, glucometer testing) after training and competency verification.
Assists in the Central Processing area, including picking up samples from doctor's offices, registration, processing samples for order entry, labeling samples, filling supply orders, and researching sample problems.
Educates patients and coworkers on correct specimen collection procedures and determines specimen quality and acceptability.
Adheres to all required safety regulations and immediately removes or arranges for removal of safety hazards.
Maintains a safe, organized, and clean work area.
Assists supervisors in meeting department goals and objectives.
Enters and edits ordering information in the computer system for accurate record-keeping and patient billing.
Communicates effectively, both written and verbally, with staff and coworkers.
Responds appropriately and timely to patient and customer requests.
Acquires knowledge through educational in-services or seminars, applying and teaching this knowledge.
Evaluates specimen acceptability for testing and takes appropriate action for unacceptable specimens.
Ensures cost-effective utilization of department supplies and reagents.
Maintains a safe environment for patients by securing sharp objects, toxic substances, and other potential hazards.
Ensures the environment is free of objects that could cause patient falls, slips, or trips, and makes assistive devices readily available.
Is aware of increased fall risks for elderly patients and visitors and ensures the environment is free of hazards.
Performs other job-related duties as assigned.