Clinical Laboratory Scientist

TridentCare • Irvine, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Responsible for ensuring that the test(s) requested by physicians and facilities are performed in an accurate and timely manner and that laboratory policies and procedures are followed and implemented correctly. This includes specimen handling, processing, analysis, reporting, and record maintenance. The role also involves ensuring specimen integrity, handling potentially infectious materials, and maintaining records for proficiency testing. The Clinical Laboratory Scientist adheres to quality control policies, documents all quality control activities, instrument calibrations, and maintenance. They are capable of identifying problems that may adversely affect test performance or reporting and documenting corrective actions. The position requires performing complex routine and new test procedures, understanding the theory behind tests, recognizing deviations from the norm in adult and geriatric patients, and understanding the scientific and theoretical reasons for such deviations. Responsibilities also include calibrating instruments, assessing equipment accuracy, performing preventive and corrective maintenance, and verifying test results. The role involves reviewing outgoing reports for errors, communicating with nurses and physicians, assisting the Lead CLS with supplies and inventory, prioritizing work duties, adapting to administrative changes in staffing and scheduling, and assisting in developing and installing quality control standards. The individual may also initiate, suggest, and implement technical and administrative changes upon approval.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in medical technology, microbiology, chemistry, biology or related field.
• Possession of General Supervisor license issued by the State of California
• Must meet CLIA requirements for testing personnel for High Complexity Testing.
• Ability to work independently and have good sound analytical judgment to function effectively under stress in certain situations.
• Strong interpersonal skills sufficient to work closely with others on a team.
• Possess the ability to work in a fast- paced environment, effectively interacting with physicians, facilities and laboratory personnel.
• Possess speed, consistency and accuracy in tasks to meet the laboratory standards.
• Customer service oriented
• Self- starter with a high initiative, a good problem and decision-maker.
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility in work environment, performing a variety of changing tasks.
• Commitment to tasks. Displaying a high level of cognitive, interpretive or judgment skills.

Responsibilities

• Follows the laboratory’s procedures for specimen handling and processing, analysis, reporting and maintaining records of patient test results.
• Ensuring that the patient’s name and specimen number are correctly identified.
• Ensuring the type of specimen and time drawn is correct for the test ordered.
• Ensuring specimen integrity has been maintained from the initial draw / pick-up of specimen(s) until arrival and completion of test(s) requested.
• Follows the laboratory’s procedures for handling potentially infectious materials.
• Maintains records that demonstrate that proficiency testing samples are tested in the same manner as patient samples.
• Adheres to the laboratory’s quality control policies, documents all quality control activities, instrument and procedural calibrations and maintenance performed.
• Follows the laboratory’s quality control policies whenever test systems are not within the laboratory’s established levels of performance.
• Capable of identifying problems that may adversely affect test performance or reporting of test results.
• Documents all corrective action taken when test systems deviate from the laboratory’s established performance specifications.
• Performs all routine and new test procedures that are complex and require professional judgment when assigned to a specific area.
• Demonstrates knowledge of theory behind the test performed.
• Recognizes departure from the norm on adult and geriatric patients and be able to understand the scientific and theoretical reasons for such deviation.
• Calibrates instruments and assess the accuracy of the equipment; performs equipment preventive and corrective maintenance.
• Check and verify all the test results released by the laboratory. This includes accepting or rejecting results due to delta check inconsistencies, requesting redraw for verification, canceling results due to gross hemolysis, clots or QNS.
• Reviews outgoing reports for technical and clerical errors.
• Able to communicate with nurses and physicians, and ability to work well with others.
• Assist the Lead CLS in maintaining adequate supplies and inventory levels.
• Demonstrates the ability to prioritize work duties.
• Recognizes the administrative changes in staffing and scheduling and adapt to these changes.
• Assists in developing and installing quality control standards to ensure accuracy of test results.
• Assists the Lead CLS in reviewing and solving quality control problems.
• Initiates, suggests and if necessary, implements technical and administrative changes upon approval of the Laboratory Director.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees