Lab Support Svcs Specialist, Part time - Lagrange, GA

Wellstar Health System•LaGrange, GA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Laboratory Manager or designee, the Lab Support Services Specialist performs technical and non-technical duties in laboratory service areas on the hospital campus. The position provides HIS/LIS data entry, troubleshooting, and laboratory technical support; customer service to patients and healthcare providers; specimen receipt and processing; phlebotomy; operation of pre-analytical and specimen storage robots; and support across multiple areas as workload and staffing needs change. The role includes processing orders and specimens, resolving system and specimen issues, preparing samples for testing or transport to reference laboratories, performing phlebotomy, maintaining supplies and storage areas, and supporting quality assurance checks. It also requires maintaining patient privacy, communicating courteously with patients and staff, completing assigned training and competencies, and assisting with orientation of new employees when assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED diploma from an accredited program.
Strong written and verbal communication, customer service, multitasking, organizational, professional, detail-oriented, and team-oriented skills.
Data-entry skills, typing speed of 40 words per minute, and working knowledge of computers.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification; the posting also lists BLS Instructor and BLS Provisional under required certifications.

Nice To Haves

Experience in phlebotomy and/or specimen processing in an outpatient or hospital laboratory environment.
Phlebotomy certification from a national organization.

Responsibilities

Enter and manage orders in HIS/LIS and other computer systems; use laboratory knowledge and critical thinking to resolve patient orders and irretrievable samples.
Report and troubleshoot HIS/LIS, printer, and fax malfunctions; organize specimen intake during downtime and recovery.
Assist with inventory control, maintain organized laboratory storage areas, restock supplies, and perform required refrigerator and freezer QA checks.
Provide courteous customer service, maintain patient privacy and confidentiality, answer and route calls, resolve complaints or refer them to a supervisor, and communicate test results to patient care providers.
Maintain files and make follow-up calls concerning problem specimens and recollections; perform call backs for critical and notification values.
Inspect incoming specimens for quality and quantity; notify nursing and document unacceptable specimens in the LIS, canceling them as appropriate.
Centrifuge, decant, split, combine, and transport specimens to testing areas; measure and aliquot 24-hour urine samples and enter information in the LIS.
Prepare specimens for reference laboratories using tracking and pending logs; check outpatient, physician, drop-off, and Home Health orders for accuracy and resolve discrepancies.
Resolve insurance and billing problems noted with PAS or Outreach staff.
Process microbiology specimens, including plating, preparation, and preparation of gram stains.
Prepare and maintain phlebotomy supplies; collect venous and capillary blood specimens in accordance with patient identification, confidentiality, safety, infection control, PPE, sharps disposal, and hand-washing procedures.
Collect a minimum of 10 venipunctures per hour; review collection lists to minimize repeat collections, identify duplicate or unusual orders, and combine collections when permitted or approved by an RN.
Use two patient identifiers before blood collection and notify nursing about missing or incorrect armbands; follow Blood Culture and Blood Bank collection and handling procedures.
Confirm patients are secure, tourniquets are removed, and puncture sites have clotted before leaving; deliver specimens to the laboratory within specified timeframes.
Resolve unreceived specimen items on the LIS pending log and retrieve acceptable samples when possible.
Assist with orientation and training of new employees as assigned; check Sunquest emails daily and complete assigned training and competency testing on time.
Participate in 80% of staff meetings and read 100% of posted meeting minutes.
Perform other assigned duties and comply with Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.