Processing Tech I

ARUP Laboratories Career•Salt Lake City, UT

About The Position

Works under direct supervision to learn the proper handling of specimens received at ARUP’s central facility and/or University Division and prepares specimens for laboratory testing. Work includes matching patient information, data entry, aliquoting, and scanning documents. The position is in Specimen Processing and is scheduled Tuesday through Friday, 5:00 PM to 3:30 AM, for 40 hours per week. ARUP Laboratories is a national clinical and anatomic pathology reference laboratory and an enterprise of the University of Utah and its Department of Pathology, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The organization describes its workforce as committed to serving patients and to a culture of accountability, integrity, service, and excellence. The role involves receiving, identifying, documenting, processing, labeling, and routing specimens and related paperwork according to department and corporate procedures. The technician uses departmental laboratory information systems and other applications, follows safety and confidentiality requirements, and consults a supervisor, lead, or workflow coordinator when needed. Duties may also include cleaning, assisting with complex processing needs and departmental projects, and other assigned work.

Requirements

Ability to work Tuesday through Friday, 5:00 PM to 3:30 AM, for 40 hours per week.
Ability to work all required overtime.
Ability to maintain regular and reliable attendance and dependable performance.
Ability to work well with others.
Ability to follow ARUP policies and procedures and the employee Code of Conduct.
Ability to comply with safety policies and regulations and use required personal protective equipment in a biohazard laboratory environment.
Ability to protect data security and patient confidentiality and maintain ethical standards.
Physical ability to stoop, reach, and move between work sites and within the office.
Ability to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 30 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.
Fine motor control for picking, pinching, typing, or other finger-based work.
Close, far, and peripheral visual acuity for observations of depth and distance, and ability to distinguish colors.

Responsibilities

Read and sign department-specific SOPs and the Safety Manual; attend team and staff meetings.
Process specimens promptly as they become available.
Enter patient demographics and process specimens and orders using the appropriate applications; order tests indicated on requisitions and process manual and electronically transmitted tests.
Add appropriate comments to requisitions or packing lists and follow department processes to resolve identified issues.
Handle and label specimens and paperwork appropriately; recognize specimen types and handle them according to corporate and departmental procedures.
Document specimen receipt information and client-provided information on specimen labels as required.
Check identifiers on specimens, paperwork, and electronic records to ensure they match and that specimens are labeled correctly.
Handle specimens that require rerouting or sharing.
Place processed specimens on the automated track, sort them manually at the appropriate temperature, or deliver them to the testing laboratory at the required temperature when automated delivery is unavailable.
Process specimens at all three temperatures and follow procedures for manual and electronically transmitted orders.
Operate the biological safety cabinet; at University Hospital Clinical Lab, operate the centrifuge.
Use the Internal Test Directory or applicable test information catalog for accessioning and client submissions or inquiries; use current departmental LIS applications and functions.
Aliquot specimens according to procedure using appropriate safety equipment.
Learn or locate ARUP and University Division laboratory locations, operating hours, and general functions.
Make sound judgment decisions or consult a supervisor, lead, or workflow coordinator when needed.
Assist management with complex processing needs, including specimen searches and processing compromised shipments.
Protect data security and patient confidentiality; maintain ethical standards in testing and interactions with patients, coworkers, and other health care professionals.
Follow safety policies and regulations, including dress code and use of protective clothing and equipment; remain informed of department procedures.
Perform assigned cleaning duties and assist with departmental projects.
For Central Processing, use Accessioning and Shipment Tracking applications.
For University Division, operate the centrifuge, ensure specimen acceptability and integrity according to protocol, and prepare specimens for delivery between ARUP testing facilities by creating packing lists according to specimen-handling requirements.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Maintain regular and reliable attendance, dependable performance, effective working relationships, and the ability to work all required overtime.