Cytology Lab Specialist — Slides & Diagnostics

CHRISTUS Health; Santa Fe (NM); On-site; USD 55,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

CHRISTUS Health in Santa Fe, NM seeks a Cytotechnologist to prepare and stain slides from blood, tissue, and fluids, examining cells for cancer and abnormalities. You will categorize slides, document findings, and manage daily cytology lab operations in a fast-paced clinical setting.

You will enter patient data into LIS, perform routine and special stains, operate staining and ThinPrep equipment, and assist pathologists with fine needle aspirations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science or equivalent required.
• 1–2 years of experience required.
• 2–3 years of experience in high complexity testing in an acute care hospital setting preferred.
• Cytotechnologist (ASCP) or eligible; must obtain Annual Membership with certification agency.

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 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 marks 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.

Skills

Customer Service

LIS data entry

Microscopy

Staining procedures

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science

Tools

ThinPrep

AP equipment

Staining equipment

Job description

CHRISTUS Health in Santa Fe, NM seeks a Cytotechnologist to prepare and stain slides from blood, tissue, and fluids, examining cells for cancer and abnormalities. You will categorize slides, document findings, and manage daily cytology lab operations in a fast-paced clinical setting.

You will enter patient data into LIS, perform routine and special stains, operate staining and ThinPrep equipment, and assist pathologists with fine needle aspirations.