Diener Contractor - PRN - Danbury

Northwell Health; Danbury (CT); On-site; USD 33,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Danbury Hospital is seeking a contracted Diener to assist pathologists and residents in autopsy procedures. The role includes preparing the body, instruments, and autopsy suite, ensuring proper and safe procedures, and restocking supplies for the autopsy area.

The candidate will verify body information, document steps, and assist with organ removal, brain sampling, and specimen labeling while upholding safety and hygiene standards.

Qualifications

• A general understanding of human anatomy.
• License, Registration, or Certification Requirements: CT or NYS License is preferred.
• Attention to detail and accurate record-keeping are essential.

Responsibilities

• Prepares the autopsy suite and ensures instruments, forms, and equipment are ready.
• Verifies the autopsy name and medical record number with body bag and morgue log.
• Signs the morgue log when moving bodies to/from cooler and autopsy table.
• Prepares the body, removes clothing, and positions for examination.
• Performs external examination, records height, and adjusts body position as needed.
• Executes Y-shaped thoracoabdominal incision and removes thoracic/abdominal contents per protocol.
• Performs intermastoid incision if needed; preserves brain, tissues, and samples.
• Removes organs as requested and weighs them; collects toxicology samples as needed.
• Ensures organs and samples are stored with proper labeling; restocks supplies.
• Cleans autopsy tables and instruments; maintains autopsy suite and equipment.

Skills

Anatomy knowledge

Attention to detail

Record keeping

Education

CT or NYS License

Job description

Description

Northwell is the largest not-for-profit health system in the Northeast, serving residents of New York and Connecticut with 28 hospitals, more than 1,000 outpatient facilities, 22,000 nurses and over 20,000 physicians. Northwell cares for more than three million people annually in the New York metro area, including Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Northwell is New York State’s largest private employer with over 104,000 employees — including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners — who are working to change health care for the better.

Description

Northwell is the largest not-for-profit health system in the Northeast, serving residents of New York and Connecticut with 28 hospitals, more than 1,000 outpatient facilities, 22,000 nurses and over 20,000 physicians. Northwell cares for more than three million people annually in the New York metro area, including Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Northwell is New York State’s largest private employer with over 104,000 employees — including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners — who are working to change health care for the better.

Summary

A contracted Diener willassist the pathologists and residents in performing autopsies. The role includes preparing the body, tools, supplies, and the autopsy suite used during the examination. The role ensures proper and safe procedures are followed during the autopsy and post autopsy including cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, and restocking of supplies in the autopsy suite

Responsibilities

• Prepares the autopsy suite, including making sure all needed instruments are ready for use, for performance of the requested autopsy. Makes sure the white board is clear, grossing station is ready, and scales, camera/ipad, recording devices, computer are functional. Ensures proper amount of storage containers and formalin are available for the autopsy requested. Notifies the attending pathologist and any pathology residents when the autopsy will start.
• Verifies the requested autopsy name and medical record number matches the name of the person and medical record number on the body bag and in the morgue log book.
• Signs the morgue log book when moving the body to and from the cooler area to the autopsy table and suite. Prepares body for autopsy by removing the clothing of the cadaver.
• External examination is performed. The height is measured. The body is turned, as requested, to check the front and back of the cadaver.
• A Y shaped thoraco-abdominal primary incision is made to open body cavities; removes breastbone; together with the prosector (resident or pathologist) removes thoracic and abdominal contents according to established procedures.
• An intermastoid coronal incision is performed as necessary. Saw the skull, remove the calvarium and remove the brain, pituitary gland, and samples other tissues as needed.
• Remove organs as requested and weigh them. Toxicology samples are collected as requested
• Ensure all organs removed are placed into properly labeled storage containers that minimally includes the patients name and autopsy number. Autopsy storage containers, with samples in formalin, are placed on the shelving in the autopsy suite.
• Responsible for closing the body, cleaning the body, readying the body for the funeral home. The body is returned to the body bag and signed back into the morgue log book and the body is placed into the morgue.
• Responsible for cleaning the autopsy table, grossing table, and all instruments used during the autopsy. All storage buckets are checked.
• Responsible for maintenance of the autopsy suite, including instrument, clothing, equipment and supplies.
• Responsible for the restocking of supplies as needed.
• Maintain and Model Organizational Values.
• Demonstrates regular, reliable and predictable attendance.
• Performs other duties as required.
• Other Information:
• Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Requirements:
• A general understanding of human anatomy
• License, Registration, or Certification Requirements:
• CT or NYS License is preferred

Working Conditions

Manual: significant manual skills/motor coord & finger dexterity

Occupational: Significant occupational risk

Physical Effort: Very Heavy effort. May exert up to 50 lbs. force

Physical Environment: Significant exposure to dirt, odors, noise, human waste, etc.

Company: Danbury Hospital

Org Unit: 132

Department: Pathology Anatomic

Exempt: No

Salary Range: $23.64 - $45.92 Hourly