Histology Technical Consultant, full time, days

Holland Hospital•Holland, MI

About The Position

The Histology Technical Consultant works under the direction of the Manager of Technical Services as a key resource in the laboratory’s histology area. The role maintains a high level of histology expertise and contributes to laboratory operations through technical bench work as defined in the Histotechnologist job description. The consultant helps assess and support the ongoing use of instruments and procedures, evaluates new products, develops procedures, and assists with accreditation preparations. In addition to the essential functions of a Histotechnologist, the consultant supports histology procedures and workflows, including procedure manual accuracy, preventive maintenance, quality control, new test evaluation, troubleshooting, training, procedure implementation, competency evaluation, and management of supplies and reagents. The role promotes effective workload organization and turnaround times; performs and documents instrument maintenance; reviews logs and follows up with corrective actions; and implements new tests. The consultant demonstrates knowledge and leadership in specimen identification and labeling, preparation for gross examination and fresh frozen sections, tissue embedding, cutting, staining, and storage. The role follows policies for specimen accessioning, identification, and workload documentation; coaches and mentors staff; maintains technical competence and safe work practices; supports customers and coworkers; and participates in quality control, quality assurance, and process improvement. The position may periodically be on call as needed to maintain laboratory services.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Histotechnology or a related field.
Histotechnologist Certification ASCP (C-HTL).

Responsibilities

Contribute to laboratory work at the technical bench in accordance with the essential functions of the Histotechnologist job description.
Assess and support the ongoing use of histology instruments and procedures; evaluate new products and develop new procedures.
Serve as a resource for histology accreditation preparations.
Support procedure manual accuracy and functionality, preventive maintenance, quality control, new test evaluation, troubleshooting, training, procedure implementation, competency evaluation, and supplies and reagents.
Help identify workload organization best practices to achieve optimum turnaround times.
Perform and document instrument maintenance; review maintenance and problem logs, take necessary corrective actions, and document reviews and actions.
Implement new tests.
Provide knowledge and leadership in sample identification and labeling, preparation for gross examination and fresh frozen sections, tissue embedding, cutting, staining, and storage.
Follow policies and procedures for specimen accessioning into the laboratory information system, sample identification, and workload activities.
Coach and mentor laboratory staff in delivering quality histopathology services.
Meet established productivity and workload expectations.
Maintain technical competence through training and education, and maintain competence in routine and special stains, histochemical procedures, and laboratory instrumentation.
Serve as a resource for internal and external laboratory customers and coworkers, including on laboratory information systems; liaise between the department systems specialist and histotechnologists.
Develop and promote safe work practices, particularly in histology.
Participate in required quality control and quality assurance activities.
Work with pathologists and other Histotechnologists to develop, perform, and monitor sample preparation and staining quality control activities.
Review quality control logs, take necessary corrective actions, and document reviews and actions.
Maintain knowledge of external regulatory requirements specific to histology and communicate necessary changes.
Identify and suggest process improvements; analyze processes and assure quality.
May periodically be on call to maintain continuity of laboratory services.