Laboratory Assistant-LGH-Full time, Evenings- 1pm-9:30pm

Centra Health•Lynchburg, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Laboratory Assistant provides support to the medical laboratory technicians and scientists. The role adheres to regulatory compliance, maintains quality standards, and facilitates effective communication within a clinical laboratory. Responsibilities encompass pre-analytical steps in specimen processing, answering phone calls and maintaining effective communication within the laboratory, other departments, and providers. Manages the pneumatic tube system, specimen problem resolution relevant to the assigned duties, and billing functions within the clinical laboratory. Additionally, manages workload, promotes operational efficiency, addresses conflicts as needed, and embraces any assigned duties for the laboratory's excellence.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor’s degree

Responsibilities

Uphold strict compliance with all regulations and standards set by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA), College of American Pathologists (CAP), Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA), The Joint Commission (TJC), and other regulatory bodies.
Actively participate in quality assurance initiatives and adherence to best practices in laboratory testing.
Perform duties as assigned by the medical director.
Complete necessary initial orientation and training, obtain and maintain relevant certifications, participate annually in mandatory training, competency assessments, and consistently demonstrate satisfactory job-specific performance assessments on an ongoing basis.
Answer phone calls and maintain effective communication within the laboratory, other departments, and providers.
Perform pre-analytical tasks as assigned, including but not limited to receiving specimens through established processes, logging specimens within the electronic health record system, distributing specimens to relevant departments within the laboratory, preparing specimens for testing (such as centrifugation), and loading specimens on analyzers/testing platforms.
Assist in pre-analytical phases of manual testing, such as preparing and staining slides.
Maintain qualifications for reporting patient results performed on waived testing platforms.
Adhere strictly to the laboratory’s standard operating procedures for specimen handling and processing.
Maintain comprehensive records relevant to assigned tasks as mandated for compliance with regulatory requirements.
Implement and document the laboratory’s quality control protocols, including instrument calibrations and maintenance, ensuring consistent test accuracy and reliability.
Detect and address problems that delay specimen processing and ensure that all billing information is accurate.
Follow established policies for corrective action when test systems deviate from acceptable performance levels.
Identify and rectify or report any issues that may impact test performance or results.
Detect and address problems that could negatively affect test performance.
Escalate issues to the technical consultant, clinical consultant, or director when necessary.
Keep detailed records of all corrective actions taken when test systems fall outside established specifications.
Perform any additional duties as assigned or requested, as the job specifications may be modified or updated at any time.