Histologist - Laboratory

CHRISTUS Health•Shreveport, LA

About The Position

The Histologist cuts, stains, and mounts human tissue specimens to provide data on tissue and organ function and the causes or progression of disease, following established standards and practices. The role collects, processes, and stores surgical and cytological specimens; enters patient, order, and technical information into the laboratory information system; and prepares specimens, slides, and blocks for referral. It performs technical procedures to create microscopic slide preparations and ensures routine and special stains are completed within acceptable turnaround-time guidelines for pathologist evaluation. The Histologist operates histology and anatomic pathology equipment, including microtomes, embedding stations, tissue processors, staining equipment, cover slippers, and immunostainers. The role also supports pathologists and pathologists’ assistants with frozen sections, fine needle aspirations, and autopsies. It maintains work areas and equipment, manages supplies and reagents, performs and documents quality control and preventative maintenance, and follows applicable accreditation, safety, infection-control, compliance, and hazardous-material protocols. The position participates in continuing education, trains new staff, and completes assigned tasks and special projects within the required time frame. The work schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
No experience required.
Histotechnologist (HLT) or Histologic Technician (HT) certification by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP), or eligibility for certification, preferred.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or equivalent.
ASCP Histotechnologist (HLT) or Histologic Technician (HT) certification, or eligibility for certification.

Responsibilities

Collect, process, and store surgical and cytological specimens.
Enter patient information, orders, and technical information into the LIS; print and organize cassettes.
Prepare specimens, slides, and blocks for referral.
Order referrals, maintain the referral log, process reports, and monitor pending items.
Maintain the grossing area, frozen section room, and autopsy suite, including cleaning, stocking supplies, and preparing solutions.
Perform technical procedures to create microscopic slide preparations.
Devise and direct routine and special stains within acceptable turnaround-time guidelines to provide slides for microscopic evaluation of tissues, fluids, and other anatomic pathology specimens.
Operate microtomes, embedding stations, tissue processors, staining equipment, cover slippers, and other anatomic pathology equipment.
Operate immunostainers and perform manual stains as needed for diagnostic immunostains.
Assist pathologists and pathologists’ assistants with frozen sections, fine needle aspirations, and autopsies.
Perform and record quality-control analyses according to policy and procedure and applicable CLIA, CAP, and Joint Commission guidelines and standards.
Perform and document established daily and periodic preventative maintenance; troubleshoot minor problems and initiate service calls as needed.
Order and restock supplies and reagents; review the policy and procedure manual; date reagents and discard expired reagents.
Attend, read, or listen to materials from 10–12 in-house educational programs yearly and train new staff in practices.
Complete assigned tasks and special projects within the required time frame.
Follow applicable CAP, AABB, Compliance, CLIA, JCAHO, and OSHA standards and prepare for and participate in applicable inspections.
Follow established protocols for safety, infection control, security, compliance, and hazardous-material use.