LAB ASSISTANT

Covenant Health•Tazewell, TN

About The Position

The Lab Assistant, General Laboratory, collects venous and capillary blood specimens from inpatients and outpatients and is responsible for customer safety and comfort, clerical and computer duties, and courier responsibilities as required. Customer service and outpatient collection are the first priority. The role handles registration, gathers and records patient information, transcribes orders, orders appropriate tests, processes and labels specimens, and supports laboratory communications and reporting. It also includes maintaining work areas, following safety and quality procedures, and participating in performance improvement activities.

Requirements

Entry-level position; basic computer skills.
Education is not specified. Any combination of formal education and/or prior work experience sufficient to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the essential tasks is acceptable, typically equivalent to a high school diploma or GED; preference may be given to candidates with a high school diploma or GED.

Nice To Haves

Certification by NCA, ASCP, ASPT, or a comparable institution is desirable.

Responsibilities

Prioritize customer service and outpatient specimen collection.
Handle registration professionally, accurately, completely, and efficiently.
Gather outpatient demographic, medical, and financial information and enter it into the HIS.
Accurately and promptly transcribe medical orders and diagnoses, order appropriate laboratory tests, and follow up verbal orders with requests for written orders.
Answer departmental telephone calls, route them to the appropriate laboratory or pathology section, follow through on problem resolution, and assist physicians and staff with obtaining, faxing, or receiving laboratory test results while protecting confidentiality.
Use HIS, LIS, and reference laboratory computer systems as appropriate, and use manual ordering, collection, verification, and charting systems during computer failures.
Process specimens, including accessioning, prioritizing, centrifuging, separating, distributing, logging, and tracking specimens for transport; label aliquots and follow special collection, storage, and shipping instructions.
Operate and monitor the pneumatic tube system.
Collect venous and capillary blood specimens, including heel or finger collections, as required; use the Hollister Ident-A-Band system for Blood Bank specimens and aseptic technique for blood cultures; accurately label specimens.
Verify patient identity using the hospital armband, by asking the patient’s name, or by asking the RN to visually identify the patient.
Dispose of needles, sharps, and used gloves properly during phlebotomy.
Maintain neat and sanitary clerical and phlebotomy work areas.
Review written physician orders daily for errors in test orders, diagnoses, physician names, insurance coverage, and related documentation; resolve and file issues appropriately and notify the Senior Lab Assistant or Manager of errors for timely correction.
Print, sort, fax, and chart inpatient Laboratory, Pathology, and Imaging reports, and mail or distribute outpatient reports as needed.
Pick up specimens from physicians’ offices in a timely manner or dispatch an appropriate courier or courier service, and manage requests for supplies.
Participate in Laboratory performance improvement activities.
Comply with Laboratory policies and procedures, including the Exposure Control plan, Chemical Hygiene Plan, Disaster Plan, Joint Commission standards, CLIA, and state regulations.
Review and sign off on the communication log or memo notebook.
Serve as a resource for difficult blood draws when needed.
Follow policies, procedures, and safety standards; complete required annual education assignments; work toward goals and objectives; and participate in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
Perform other duties as assigned.