Laboratory Assistant Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• High school diploma.
• Experience with data entry, medical terminology, and customer service, or an equivalent combination of education and experience providing comparable job knowledge.
• BLS certification through the American Heart Association within 30 days of hire.
• When using a personal vehicle for specimen transport: proof of insurance, a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record, and a vehicle maintained in good working order.
• Ability to work a regular rotating weekend and holiday schedule.

Nice To Haves

• Phlebotomy certificate.
• Associate degree in a chemical, physical, or biological science, with at least one year of full-time laboratory training or experience, or both.
• One to two years of previous laboratory or phlebotomy experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide courteous, professional service and respond to customer inquiries about laboratory services, specimen requirements, turnaround times, reference ranges, and reporting protocols.
• Collect STAT, timed, and routine venous and capillary blood specimens from off-site facilities and hospital inpatients and outpatients in accordance with laboratory procedures.
• Instruct patients in the proper collection and handling of non-blood specimens.
• Generate and review collection lists and pending logs in the Laboratory Information System (LIS), and contact nursing units and off-site facilities to track pending collected and uncollected specimens.
• Transport specimens from outside facilities using a personal or Riverview-provided vehicle, following applicable vehicle-safety requirements.
• Maintain phlebotomy supplies on inpatient nursing units and fill supply orders for off-site facilities.
• Receive and process specimens, including entering data into the LIS; verifying patient and specimen identification and test requests; documenting rejected specimens; centrifuging and distributing specimens; preparing referral tests; checking surgical specimens and requisitions for accuracy and completeness; and storing specimens at required temperatures.
• Communicate with technical staff to support efficient turnaround of results.
• Review orders for completeness and enter patient test orders in the LIS.
• Check Medicare orders for diagnosis and medical necessity; notify physicians or their representatives when codes or diagnoses do not meet Local Medical Review Policy criteria; and obtain an ABN before collection when necessary.
• Recognize problems in laboratory ordering, testing, and reporting operations; take appropriate corrective action or notify the area coordinator or department manager.
• Perform and document daily temperature and function checks for assigned areas and take corrective action when results are outside acceptable limits.
• Use personal protective equipment and comply with applicable departmental, functional, safety, waste-disposal, attendance, punctuality, and dress-code policies and Standards of Excellence.
• Perform CLIA-waived testing in accordance with CLIA ’88 standards, as trained and applicable.
• Assist with new-employee training and orientation, and train staff on Medical Necessity Guidelines.
• Perform other duties as assigned.