Cytologist - Pathology

CHRISTUS Health; Tyler (TX); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

CHRISTUS Health in Tyler, TX, seeks a Cytotechnologist to prepare and screen slides, identify malignant and benign cellular changes, and report abnormalities to the Pathologist.

You will enter patient information in LIS, perform routine and special stains, assist with fine needle aspirations, and uphold CLIA, CAP, and Joint Commission standards while maintaining safety and quality.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science or equivalent required.
• One to two years of experience in cytology preferred? (not specified)
• Follows CAP, CLIA, JCAHO, OSHA guidelines and quality control procedures.

Responsibilities

• Meets expectations of the applicable OneCHRISTUS Competencies: Leader of Self, Leader of Others, or Leader of Leaders.
• Customer Service and LIS data entry of patient information, orders, and technical details.
• Within acceptable TAT, performs routine and special stains to prepare slides for microscopic evaluation.
• Operates staining equipment and AP equipment to generate quality slides for examinations.
• Assists Pathologists with fine needle aspirations and marks unusual findings for review.
• Evaluates cell samples for malignant, pre-malignant, inflammatory, and benign changes.
• Maintains daily QC/maintenance documentation per policy and procedure.
• Ensures safety, infection control, and proper handling of hazardous materials.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science

Job description

Summary

Follows established standard practices: Prepares and stains microscopic slides from specimens of blood, tissue scrapings, and body fluids. Examines cells of the human body to detect evidence of cancer, abnormalities, and other pathological conditions. Categories slides, records classification, compiles listings of patients for follow-up analysis, and reports all unusual cell structures or abnormalities to the Pathologist. Addresses all daily operations of the cytology laboratory.

Responsibilities

• Meets expectations of the applicable OneCHRISTUS Competencies: Leader of Self, Leader of Others, or Leader of Leaders.
• Customer Service
• Enters patient information, orders, and technical information into LIS.
• Within acceptable TAT guidelines, devises and directs performance of routine and special stains to provide appropriate slides for the microscopic evaluation of tissues, fluids, and other cytopathology specimens.
• Operates staining equipment, ThinPrep equipment, coverslippers and other AP equipment to provide quality slides for examinations.
• Performs manual stains, as needed, to provide quality slides for examinations.
• Assists Pathologists with fine needle aspirations.
• Using the microscope and stained slides, identifies and mark all unusual findings in the specimen using accepted morphologic criteria.
• Examines and evaluates the cell sample for the presence or absence of normal/abnormal cellular patterns; assesses malignant, pre-malignant, inflammatory, and benign changes.
• Refers to cellular changes that meet guidelines for supervisor and/or pathologist review.
• Quality Control / Improvement: performs analysis and records QC according to policy and procedure following CLIA, CAP, and Joint Commission guidelines and standards.
• Maintenance/Lab Management: performs established daily and periodic preventative maintenance with documentation; troubleshoots minor problems and initiates service calls as needed; orders and restocks supplies/reagents; reviews policy & procedure manual; dates reagents and discards expired reagents.
• Continuing Education/Development: attends, reads, or listens by tape to material of 10-12 in-house educational programs yearly; trains new staff in practices
• Completes tasks or special projects within the time frame as assigned, or as requested by Supervisors, Managers, or Directors.
• Accreditation: follows CAP, AABB, Compliance, CLIA, JCAHO, and OSHA standards and prepares/participates in all applicable inspections.
• Follows established protocols for safety, infection control, security, compliance, and the use of hazardous materials.

Job Requirements

Education/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in science or equivalent required

Experience

• 1-2 years of experience required
• 2-3 years of experience in high complexity testing in an acute care hospital setting preferred

Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications

• Cytotechnologist (ASCP) or eligible
• Must obtain Annual Membership (current) with certification agency

Work Schedule

5 Days - 8 Hours

Work Type

Full Time