Component Specialist | Blood Bank | Part-time (32hrs.) | Nights

UF Health•Gainesville, FL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Component Specialist manufactures, labels, modifies, and dispenses blood and blood components in the Blood Bank at UF Health Shands Hospital. The role performs laboratory clerical and pre-analytical procedures, accessions and prepares specimens, maintains blood component inventory, and orders and restocks supplies. Work is part-time, 32 hours per week, on a varying schedule during the night shift. The position modifies blood products according to FDA and AABB regulations while maintaining sterility and product identification. It verifies orders and product labels, enters information and modifications into the Blood Bank Information System (BBIS), and prepares and issues products to patient care areas. The role also receives, stores, and tracks blood products, specimens, supplies, reagents, and shipments; monitors inventory and product quality; and performs periodic quality assurance, quality control, equipment maintenance, and related clerical duties. The Component Specialist communicates with physicians, nurses, patient care providers, and medical technologists to clarify orders, resolve specimen or product issues, and provide availability information. The employee must follow Shands conduct, work, confidentiality, and regulatory requirements, report to work fit for duty, and complete required in-services on time.

Requirements

High school graduation or equivalent.
At least 3 months of full-time experience processing samples using laboratory equipment.
Ability to follow applicable product-handling, identification, and regulatory procedures.

Nice To Haves

Clinical or hospital-based experience.
Previous computer operational skills using a personal computer, laboratory system, or other hospital information system.

Responsibilities

Modify blood products by selecting the correct product, checking instructions against orders, and contacting clinical staff to resolve discrepancies or substitution needs.
Perform blood product modifications, including irradiation, splitting, aliquotting, thawing, pooling, washing, volume reduction, and filtering, in accordance with FDA and AABB regulations.
Maintain product sterility and identification, attach required labels, enter modifications in BBIS, and update expiration dates according to FDA protocols.
Verify physician orders and product labels, conduct the final Blood Bank quality check, and dispense products in BBIS after ensuring patient-specific requirements have been met.
Prepare transport coolers when required and issue blood products to patient care areas, including through courier delivery.
Ensure autologous or directed units are dispensed when available; accurately enter component data and required dates, times, status, and special attributes in BBIS.
Contact physicians or nurses to clarify orders or communicate product availability.
Evaluate patient specimens for acceptability, resolve major or minor identification errors with patient care areas, and accession specimens into BBIS.
Perform pre-analytical procedures, including centrifugation, aliquotting, processing, and storage of specimens, blood products, and reagents for analysis, release, or quality control.
Receive and triage packages and shipments; receive blood and blood products from LifeSouth and manufacturers, store them according to protocol, and log products and special attributes in BBIS.
Receive supplies, reagents, and other items; check expiration dates, attach appropriate labels, and store them correctly.
Determine daily blood product inventory needs, order products, maintain inventory for special procedures, identify short-dated products, and take steps to reduce wastage.
Perform periodic quality assurance and quality control activities, including checking and reviewing equipment temperatures, reporting problems, documenting corrective actions, maintaining component equipment, and conducting blood product quality control.
Discard products that fail quality control and quarantine or dispose of unsuitable products appropriately.
Perform billing, print and distribute test reports, and complete filing and other clerical duties.
Follow Shands standards of conduct, work rules, policies, and regulations; maintain patient and hospital confidentiality; report to work as scheduled and fit for duty; and complete mandatory in-services by their due dates.