Laboratory Technical Assistant I

Billings Clinic; Billings (MT); On-site; USD 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Billings Clinic in Billings, MT is seeking a Laboratory Technical Assistant I to support specimen processing, accessioning, and basic waived testing. You will assist pathologists and physicians, handle specimens, and help ensure quality control and regulatory readiness in a busy hospital laboratory.

The role involves coordinating inventory, maintaining records, and performing clerical duties while protecting patient privacy and data.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Advanced education in science, chemistry and mathematics (college level courses) preferred.
• Prior laboratory or health care experience preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience considered.

Responsibilities

• Supports and models behaviors consistent with Billings Clinic's mission, vision, values and service expectations.
• Processes and accessions samples according to established policies and procedures.
• Assists with inventory management including stocking and ordering to meet department needs.
• Performs waived laboratory testing and specimen processing within scope of practice.
• Provides administrative/clerical support and maintains patient data securely.
• Assists pathologists and physicians with specimen collection and preparation.
• Answers calls and responds to questions from patients, physicians and labs.
• Coordinates specimen mail-outs and liaises with reference laboratories.
• Maintains inventory and handles equipment and workflow documentation.

Job description

You'll want to join Billings Clinic for our outstanding quality of care, exciting environment, interesting cases from a vast geography, advanced technology and educational opportunities. We are in the top 1% of hospitals internationally for receiving Magnet® Recognition consecutively since 2006. And you'll want to stay at Billings Clinic for the amazing teamwork, caring atmosphere, and a culture that values kindness, safety and courage. This is an incredible place to learn and grow. Billings, Montana, is a friendly, college community in the Rocky Mountains with great schools and abundant family activities. Amazing outdoor recreation is just minutes from home. Four seasons of sunshine! You can make a difference here.

About Us

Billings Clinic is a community-owned, not-for-profit, Physician-led health system based in Billings with more than 4,700 employees, including over 550 physicians and non-physician providers. Our integrated organization consists of a multi-specialty group practice and a 304-bed hospital. Learn more about Billings Clinic (our organization, history, mission, leadership and regional locations) and how we are recognized nationally for our exceptional quality.

Your Benefits

We provide a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to all full-time employees (minimum of 24 hours/week), including Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer matching, Defined Contribution Pension Plan, Paid Time Off, employee wellness program, and much more.

Magnet: Commitment to Nursing Excellence

Billings Clinic is proud to be recognized for nursing excellence as a Magnet®-designated organization, joining only 97 other organizations worldwide that have achieved this honor four times. The re-designation process happens every four years.

Pre-Employment Requirements

All new employees must complete several pre-employment requirements prior to starting.

Laboratory Technical Assistant I

Billings Clinic (BILLINGS CLINIC HOSPITAL) req12579 Shift: Evening, Nights, Weekend Employment Status: Full-Time (.75 or greater) Hours per Pay Period: 1.00 = 80 hours every two weeks (Non-Exempt) Starting Wage DOE: $17.15 - 21.44

Additional characteristics for the Lead Role

Acts as a lead for an assigned area of department, including assisting with the day to day operations of the department, responsible for quality control and regulatory readiness of department.

Essential Job Functions

• Supports and models behaviors consistent with Billings Clinic's mission, vision, values, code of business conduct and service expectations. Meets all mandatory organizational and departmental requirements. Maintains competency in all organizational, departmental and outside agency standards as it relates to the environment, employee, patient safety or job performance.
• Processes and accessions samples according to established policies and procedures.
• Assists with inventory management including stocking, ordering and monitoring to ensure adequate supplies to meet business needs within the assigned section of the laboratory (Cytology, Histology, Processing, Sendouts, Hematology, Microbiology, Blood Bank, etc.)
• During the collection of samples the Technician and the Specimen collection (SP) team will follow SOP-SAMPLE-PLACEMENT and Location table maintenance SOPs.
• Performs waived laboratory testing and specimen processing within scope of practice.
• Provides administrative/clerical support for the departments including maintaining accurate record systems, requisitions, quality control data, patient results, and workflow documentation. Understands and demonstrates appropriate communication of Private Health Information.
• Assist pathologists and physicians, including collecting and transporting specimens, preparation of bone marrow specimens and/or fine needle aspiration/fine needle biopsies, preparing slides, maintaining integrity of specimens, and disposal of specimens according to procedure.
• Answers multi-line telephones and responds to the majority of all incoming calls before transferring to alternate resources. Responds to questions from patients, physicians and other reference labs and provides routine information, collection and testing procedures, specimen processing, turn around times, result reporting and reference lab availability. Also responds to non-routine questions regarding what steps need to be taken to rectify a situation when the integrity of a sample/specimen has been compromised.
• Facilitates result reporting. Results may be called to physician's office, faxed or mailed depending on orders and situation.
• Monitors all label printers and fax machines for incoming orders. Responsible for ensuring printers and faxes are maintained in good working order due to the critical nature of information being received. Acts as a resource in resolving printer and fax related function problems, maintenance and form loading.
• Responsible for checking and verifying the integrity/quality of the specimens to ensure appropriate specimen volumes, packaging, etc. Assumes responsibility for initiating follow‑up action necessary to prevent and/or resolve problem scenarios and coordinates as appropriate with other departments, management, etc.
• Coordinates specimen mail‑outs to reference laboratories. Duties include decisions regarding how to draw sample/specimen, timing of draw, appropriate preparation of the sample/specimen, timing of mailing, selecting appropriate reference lab for processing as outlined in laboratory policies and procedures and tracking and planning the appropriate transportation mode.
• Maintains inventory management including order entry in Lawson, stocking and monitoring to ensure adequate supplies to meet the business needs for all areas within the Laboratory department and reference laboratory. Uses the correct cost center and General Ledger numbers.
• Dispatches and monitors the phlebotomy staff to maintain efficient response and turnaround times on hospital specimen orders.
• Receives specimens from the laboratory runners, phlebotomy staff, pneumatic tube system and external clients. Utilizes judgment to determine if sample/specimen is appropriate for testing according to established guidelines or if a redraw will be necessary. Initiates specimen preparation and processing.
• Utilizes appropriate equipment (i.e. track system, centrifuge), prepares spin-offs, aliquots, cassettes, blocks and slides and distributes to the appropriate area of the laboratory for final processing. Monitors printers for STAT orders from the nursing units.
• Responsible for set-up, basic maintenance and records of work stations; filling staining stations, imagers, cleaning work areas, emptying garbage, cleaning of track, checking temperatures of refrigerators and freezers, cleaning of centrifuges, monitoring courier contact points, creating cassettes, changing fluids and paraffin, etc.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• High school graduate or equivalent
• Advanced education in areas of science, chemistry and mathematics normally acquired through college level courses preferred

Experience

• Prior laboratory or health care experience preferred
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience relating to the above, tasks, knowledge, skills or abilities will be considered knowledge, skills or abilities will be considered

Billings Clinic is Montana's largest health system serving Montana, Wyoming and the western Dakotas. A not-for-profit organization led by a physician CEO, the health system is governed by a board of community members, nurses and physicians. Billings Clinic includes an integrated multi-specialty group practice, tertiary care hospital and trauma center, based in Billings, Montana.

Billings Clinic is committed to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity. All policies and processes are designed toward achieving fair and equitable treatment of all employees and job applicants. Employees are encouraged to discuss any concerns they have in this regard with their immediate supervisor and/or the Vice President People Resources. All employees and job applicants will be provided the same treatment in all aspects of the employment relationship, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, genetic information or disability.