Hospital Lab Technician 1 - Nights

University of California, San Francisco•San Francisco, CA

16h•Onsite

About The Position

Provide services to both inpatient and outpatient clients as assigned. Collects specimens according to protocol, prepares specimens for the laboratory, maintains accurate records of drawn specimens using established procedures for UCSF inpatient medical center floors. May be assigned to perform phlebotomy at all UCSF Health sites (Parnassus, Mt. Zion, joint UCSF health partnerships, Satellite Clinics, or at other off-site clinic sites, et al). Responsible for labeling and distributing appropriate containers to collect other specimens, giving instructions for complex tests, assisting in bone marrow collections, clerical duties, specimen processing duties, computer entry, and specimen preparation for transport to main lab. May be assigned to assist in Clinical Laboratory Processing section as needed.

Requirements

Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma (GED)
Two years of laboratory experience or two years of college including courses in the natural, physical, or social sciences, and one year of laboratory experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, and knowledge and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Possession of a current phlebotomy certificate issued by California Department of Public Health Laboratory Field Services
Experience in performing Phlebotomy on a broad range of patient types
Demonstrates computer skills, demonstrated human relation and effective communication skills
Must be able to work well under pressure.
This position requires flexibility to orient and work at all UCSF Medical Center locations and at off-site locations as assigned and in varying schedules as needed.
Proficient with PC, Windows, Word, Excel, etc.

Nice To Haves

Previous knowledge of and experience in a clinical lab setting, and medical terminology preferred.
Previous Phlebotomy experience in an In-Patient hospital setting

Responsibilities

Phlebotomy/Specimen Collections: Phlebotomy requires the use of evacuated tubes and/or syringe and needle for obtaining blood specimens by venipuncture, the ability to obtain blood specimens by skin puncture (especially on infants), and the ability to make smears or peripheral blood on microscope slides when indicated.
Patient Greeting/ Reception: Patients should be greeted in a friendly, cheerful manner. The phlebotomist will: Acknowledge the Patient with a greeting, Introduce themself, Explain the expected Duration of the test to be performed, Explain test or procedure (blood draw, urine collection, etc.), Thank the patient – if outpatient, thank them for choosing UCSF and allowing us to provide service to you today – if in-patient, also say “thank you” and for both patients, ask if there is anything else you can do for them.
Processing Orders in the Hospital and Laboratory APEX/ Beaker system: Patient orders must be validated before collecting specimens. For In-Patients, orders should be displayed in the APEX/Beaker at the bedside on the mobile phlebotomy workstation (WOW). The phlebotomist should check with the nurse before drawing blood to ensure orders are correct and verify if the Lab to collect versus Nurse to collect. Collection labels are generated from the APEX/Beaker after properly identifying the patient and scanning the Wristband. For orders not displayed on the patient’s list devices, the nurse should provide an APeX requisition and APeX labels for the specimen collection. Specimens should be transported to the Clinical Laboratory following established protocols. For OutPatients, orders data should be validated in the hospital APeX and released to generate labels for specimen collection, following established protocols. Outpatients may not always have an electronic order for testing. If the patient presents a paper requisition to the laboratory, follow established protocol for entering the order into the computer system.
STAT or Routine Processing: STAT specimens should be processed first and sent to the Clinical Laboratory for processing. In Out-Patient and Processing areas, specimens are sorted for delivery to the appropriate department: Blood Bank, Chemistry, Hematology, etc.. STAT specimens may be grouped together in a single container. As needed, receive specimens in the Laboratory Information System. Label specimens with the appropriate computer-generated labels. Be aware of the risk of incorrectly labeling a sample when specimens collected at multiple times or from several sites are submitted together; prepare pour-off vials for aliquoting. Provide clear written instructions to the analytical sections and Specimen Processing when specimens must be shared (e.g., between Chemistry and Hematology).
Aliquotting of Urine Collections: When assigned to work in the Processing areas of the Clinical Laboratory or one of the Out-Patient Laboratories where urine specimens are processed, Urine labels must be verified against the requisition to detect entry errors and corrections made when needed. Check specimen when a preservative is required and/or urine aliquots treating the specimen as directed by the computer labels. Aliquot urines into the proper tubes or containers and enclose 24-hour urines in plastic bags. When there are two or more specimens for one 24-hour collection, ensure that they are labeled correctly. Initial requisition in appropriate “Aliquot” box upon completion of task.
Responses to Inquiries/Communications: Communicate non-technical information (such as collection instructions and turnaround times, pricing, test results, etc.) obtained from the Laboratory Manual. The in- and out-patient price files, the laboratory computer, and the requisitions. Consult with supervisor and technical staff WHEN INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE in these sources. Communicate accurately and clearly, whether in person or by telephone.
Telephone Duty: Answer all telephone extensions in the work area in a timely manner.
Bone Marrow Collection: When assigned, assist physician on site in the outpatient clinic location by preparing smears of bone marrow aspirate and preserving bone marrow biopsy specimen for further processing by anatomic pathology.
Pneumatic Tube: Check contents of pneumatic tube from Hematology clinic upon arrival in ACC lab. Promptly check and return the tube with any slides, blood products, and any other supplies.
Computer Downtime: During a computer downtime, it will be necessary to process specimens according to established downtime protocols. Process specimens correctly without the aid of computer labels and forward them to the proper testing sections. Write patient/test information on all pour-off tubes.
Additional Unspecified Duties: Perform additional duties or projects as assigned in the Clinical Laboratory In-Patient Phlebotomy, Out-Patient Blood Draw or Clinical Laboratories Processing sections.