Hospital Laboratory Technician 2 - Nights

% 

of time

Key Responsibilities

Receiving and processing specimens in the laboratory at the Medical Center, or Receiving and processing specimens in the China Basin microbiology laboratory

Receiving and processing specimens in the laboratory at the Medical Center

1. Pick up specimens from Central Processing every 20 minutes (if applicable). Accession and process stat specimens immediately. For other specimens, prioritize, accession, and process based on urgency for results and specimen stability requirements, in order to ensure preservation of sample integrity and for accurate patient results.

2. Investigate and complete Problem Report Form when the time to receipt of a specimen in the microbiology laboratory impacts specimen stability requirements and cause is not readily identifiable, interacting as necessary with other departments in order to determine cause of the problem, in order to prevent future occurrences that impact patient care.

    

3. Evaluate specimens for acceptability and whether requested test is appropriate for the specimen submitted, according to the written procedure. Promptly communicate unlabeled/mislabeled and unsuitable specimens, tests requiring consultation with the Section Chief or Laboratory Medicine Resident, and unsuitable test requests to the ordering physician or ward/clinic.
4. Inputs patient and specimen information into the laboratory computer, for the accurate processing of specimens, for all specimens received up to 30 minutes before the scheduled courier pick-up time. 
5. Prepare transport batch and pack specimens for shipping to China Basin by the scheduled courier pick-up times.
6. Labeling errors must not exceed 3 per year for a 100% FTE.
7. Prepare and stain slide preparations of acceptable quality for microscopic examination of Gram stains, adjusting the amount of decolorizer used based on the thickness of the material on the slide.
8. Make primary inoculations of test material onto appropriate culture media using aseptic technique, achieving isolated colonies when applicable. This task may require the prior centrifugation of fluid or manipulation of tissue samples.
9. Record temperatures and instrument function checks on a daily basis. Initiate and document appropriate corrective action to insure integrity of specimens or reagents/supplies, troubleshoot if possible, and immediately notify microbiology supervisor, or CLS in the absence of a supervisor, when equipment is not operating properly. 
10. Comply with laboratory safety standards.
11. Follow policies on specimen retention.
12. Handle requests for Add-on tests promptly.
13. Prepare thin and thick blood smears of acceptable quality for microscopic examination of blood parasites.
14. Maintains necessary level of supplies and/or reagents within microbiology laboratory by periodic inventories and ordering. Notifies appropriate individual(s) for follow-up when applicable.
15. Assist supervisors with maintaining an updated version of procedures, planting cardex instructions, and lab manual database instructions to ensure accurate collection and processing of patient specimens.

Receiving and processing specimens in the China Basin microbiology laboratory

1. Receive transport batch and unpack specimens promptly upon delivery to China Basin. Accession and process stat specimens immediately. For other specimens, prioritize, accession, and process based on urgency for results and specimen stability requirements, in order to ensure preservation of sample integrity and for accurate patient results.
2. Evaluate specimens for acceptability and whether requested test is appropriate for the specimen submitted, according to the written procedure. Promptly communicate unlabeled/mislabeled and unsuitable specimens, tests requiring consultation with the Section Chief or Laboratory Medicine Resident, and unsuitable test requests to the ordering physician or ward/clinic.
3. Inputs patient and specimen information into the laboratory computer for the accurate processing of specimens, promptly upon delivery of specimens.
4. Prepare and stain slide preparations of acceptable quality for microscopic examination of Gram stains, adjusting the amount of decolorizer used based on the thickness of the material on the slide.
5. Make primary inoculations of test material onto appropriate culture media using aseptic technique, achieving isolated colonies when applicable. This task may require the prior centrifugation of fluid or manipulation of tissue samples.
6. Sonicate implants or devices and culture using the technique used for prosthetic joints.
7. Process and/or distribute other specimens to appropriate bench or testing CLS.
8. Labeling errors must not exceed 3 per year for a 100% FTE.
9. Under the supervision of a CLS, perform daily, weekly, monthly, and periodic preventative maintenance on schedule, and initial maintenance log. Troubleshoot, if possible, and notify microbiology supervisor immediately when equipment is not operating properly.
10. Comply with laboratory safety standards.
11. Follow policies on specimen retention.
12. Handle requests for Add-on tests promptly.
13. Centrifuge specimens at appropriate speed and for appropriate time. 
14. Assists in processing CAP survey samples accurately.
15. Using aseptic technique, withdraw a sample from a unit of blood product for smear preparation and inoculation onto culture media.
16.  Maintains necessary level of supplies and/or reagents within specimen processing section by periodic inventories, and assist with ordering as assigned by the supervisor. Notifies appropriate individual(s) for follow-up when applicable.
17. Assist supervisors with maintaining an updated version of procedures, planting cardex instructions, and lab manual database instructions to ensure accurate collection and processing of patient specimens.
18. Assist supervisors with sending out specimens to reference laboratories, following safe shipping requirements including training requirements, regulations and agencies involved, dangerous goods definitions, shipper’s responsibilities, classification, identification, packing, marking, labeling, documentation, shipping with dry ice, shipping with overpacks, mailing and exporting infectious substances, and Intra- and Inter-campus transfers. 
19. Under the supervision of a CLS, load/unload specimens on the blood culture instrument.
20. Under the supervison of a CLS, operate blood culture instrument, prepare Gram stains and perform subcultures of blood culture bottles.
21. Under the supervision of a CLS, process stool specimens for ova and parasite examination using formalin/ethyl-acetate concentration technique, and operate stainer
22. Under the supervision of a CLS, process specimens for acid-fast bacilli using digestion-decontamination procedures, and load specimens on the acid-fast bacilli culture instrument.

Respond to telephone inquiries for test information and test results, and transfer telephone calls to the appropriate staff in the laboratory

1. Respond to coworkers and internal/external customers, whether in person or by telephone, in a professional and courteous manner. Identify the lab and yourself.
2. Utilize the online laboratory manual to provide test information.
3. Maintain an awareness of emerging infections and outbreaks to act as the first-line of information for healthcare providers, and triage calls to appropriate persons.

Performs clerical functions for the laboratory (5-10%)

1. File requisitions alphabetically after each courier delivery to the China Basin microbiology laboratory.
2. Scan requisitions on a daily basis.
3. Perform new specimen registration in Apex. 
4. Assist supervisors with charge entry in Apex, for manual billing of charges for tests performed by reference laboratories.
5. Fax reports of test results promptly after verifying that machine faxing to is secure.

Provide laboratory maintenance support through cleaning of equipment, operation of autoclave, washing glassware, and unpacking/stocking of laboratory supplies.

1. Clean biological safety cabinets, incubators, refrigerators, and freezers according to schedule.
2. Operate autoclave including sterilization of biohazard waste and reusable materials and perform quality controls procedures.
3. Dispense and sterilize saline and water for test procedures.
4. Operate dishwashers
5. Unpack supplies and media and store items at the appropriate temperature.