Clinical Lab Assistant, Laboratory

Heywood Hospital•Gardner, MA

20h•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 assisting technical laboratory staff in specimen processing, performing waived laboratory testing, and supporting the Central Processing area. The ideal candidate will be customer service oriented, a team player, and possess strong analytical and information-seeking skills.

Requirements

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
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).

Responsibilities

Identifies patients correctly by checking identification wristbands and asking for name confirmation.
Verifies physician orders to ensure all tests are ordered correctly.
Reviews testing requirements and gathers necessary supplies before obtaining samples.
Communicates with technical laboratory staff regarding timed, urgent, or stat specimens.
Assists with and performs packaging of specimens for forwarding to other laboratories.
Follows criteria for centrifugation, separation, transport, and storage of specimens.
Records specimen shipment in the hospital-wide computer system.
Performs tasks in the Laboratory to assist technical staff in specimen processing, including temperature documentation, 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 (in the presence of MLT or MT), and putting away reagents/supplies.
May perform waived Laboratory testing per CLIA guidelines after thorough training and competency verification, including urine color and clarity, urine specific gravity, urine dipstick, urine pregnancy, fecal occult blood, gastric blood, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rates, and glucometer testing.
Assists in the function of the Central Processing area, including picking up samples, registration, processing samples for order entry, labeling samples, filling supply orders, and researching sample problems.
Educates patients and co-workers on correct specimen collection procedures and determines specimen quality and acceptability.
Adheres to all required safety regulations.
Removes or arranges for removal of safety hazards immediately.
Maintains a safe, organized, and clean work area.
Assists supervisors with tasks to meet department goals.
Enters and edits ordering information in the computer system for accurate records and billing.
Communicates effectively, both written and verbally, with staff and co-workers.
Responds appropriately and timely to patient and customer requests.
Acquires knowledge through educational in-services or seminars.
Possesses a comprehensive understanding of technology advances, disease processes, and regulatory changes.
Evaluates specimen acceptability for testing and takes appropriate action for unacceptable specimens.
Assures department supplies and reagents are utilized in a cost-effective manner.
Develops cost-benefit analysis for testing protocols.
Maintains a safe environment for patients by securing sharp objects, toxic substances, and other potential hazards.
Ensures the environment of care is free of objects that may contribute to falls, slips, or trips.
Makes assistive devices for ambulation readily available.
Complies with policies and procedures relating to gait belts and similar devices.
Is aware of increased fall risk for elderly patients and visitors and ensures the environment is free of hazards.
Performs other job-related duties as assigned.