Lab Assistant

Beaufort Memorial Hospital•Beaufort, SC

10d

About The Position

Under the general supervision of the Pre-Analytical Team Coordinator, the Lab Assistant handles patient orders and prepares patient samples to assist medical technologists and facilitate testing. The role includes patient registration and order entry, specimen processing and storage, identifying and resolving routine specimen and test-order issues, maintaining records and work areas, and supporting reference-laboratory processing and outreach activities. The position involves regular exposure to water, noise and interruptions, moving instrumentation, chemicals, body fluids, and bloodborne-disease risk. The described physical work includes lifting up to 50 pounds and carrying objects weighing up to 25 pounds, as well as pushing and pulling objects.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
Medical terminology background preferred.
Excellent communication and customer relationship skills.
Ability to problem-solve.
Ability to establish work priorities and multitask efficiently.
Ability to retain information once learned.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to follow a series of steps consistently without confusion or error.
Attention to detail.
College-level mathematical, verbal, and computer skills preferred.
Ability to understand instructions, reason, and make judgments at a moderate level.
Moderate verbal, numerical, clerical-perception, and motor-coordination aptitudes; low spatial aptitude.
No certification or license specified.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or equivalent.
Background in medical terminology.
College-level mathematical, verbal, and computer skills.

Responsibilities

Greet the public professionally and cheerfully.
Answer phones and direct calls appropriately.
Complete patient registration and enter test-order data in the computer according to established standards and procedures.
Maintain accurate, orderly files.
Review and verify a random selection of outpatient requisitions for accuracy.
Complete Opportunity Improvement forms when errors are noted.
Notify physician practices of errors and arrange for patient recollection when deemed necessary by the physician.
Create and review pending logs and locate missing specimens.
Pull specimens from storage.
Determine specimen availability and appropriateness for additional testing requested after initial testing has been received or completed.
Process laboratory specimens by centrifuging, separating, measuring, storing, and distributing them to appropriate testing areas or packaging them for transport to reference laboratories.
Identify and resolve routine specimen-acceptability and test-order problems.
Notify Phlebotomy when recollects are needed.
Keep the work area clean and organized and decontaminate it as designated.
Follow all laboratory personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.
Perform reference-laboratory processing on weekends.
Assist with client and outreach projects at the direction of the management team.
Communicate staffing needs, supplies, equipment, procedures, and policies to the Phlebotomy team lead.
Participate in special projects and perform other duties assigned by the supervisor.
Complete the annual review of the Fire/Safety/Disaster Plan.