Medical Laboratory Assistant

St. Charles Health System Inc.; Bend, Northern (OR, KY); Hybrid; USD 31,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Charles Health System in Bend, Oregon, is seeking a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) for the second shift to register, process specimens, and support the laboratory workflow.

The MLA will assist clients, manage specimen integrity, and coordinate with reference labs as needed. The ideal candidate has a high school diploma or GED, at least one year of paid customer service experience, and prefers two years of lab experience along with basic computer and terminology knowledge.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Minimum one year of paid customer service experience.
• Two years lab experience preferred; computer training and medical terminology knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Processes inpatient and outpatient specimens to maintain their integrity.
• Communicates with reference laboratories and navigates multiple reference laboratory websites to ensure proper collection, processing transport, testing, and reporting of all referral testing.
• Meets all competency requirements and training timelines.
• Completes an in-depth sign off sheet related to processes and procedures performed by specimen processing.
• Prioritizes ordering, receiving, and processing of specimens for testing according to urgency of need and type of tests ordered.
• Navigates through multiple complex computer systems to meet testing requirements and maintain specimen integrity.
• Prioritizes specimen processing using the Lab Information System.
• Registers and orders testing as ordered by their physician and in compliance with system policies and procedures.
• Thinks critically, multitasks, and maintains accuracy during periods of frequent interruptions in a fast-paced environment.
• Trains and mentors effectively using constructive feedback after meeting competency and experience requirements.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Lab Information System

Job description

Full-Time, Second Shift Pay range: $22.61 - $28.94 ST. CHARLES HEALTH SYSTEM JOB DESCRIPTION TITLE: Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) REPORTS TO POSITION: Laboratory Specimen Processing and Courier Supervisor DEPARTMENT: Laboratory DATE LAST REVIEWED: July 2021

OUR VISION: Creating America’s healthiest community, together

OUR MISSION: In the spirit of love and compassion, better health, better care, better value

OUR VALUES: Accountability, Caring and Teamwork

DEPARTMENTAL SUMMARY: The laboratory departments provide many services to our multi-hospital organization and outreach community including: blood collection, processing, testing, and reporting of results, spanning all disciplines of laboratory medicine.

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) registers, orders, and processes specimens from in-house draws and courier runs and assists clients from outside the laboratory with questions or problems. The MLA will support the workflow in the technical area of the laboratory. This position does not directly manage other caregivers, however may be asked to review and provide feedback on the work of other caregivers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:

• Processes inpatient and outpatient specimens to maintain their integrity.
• Communicates with reference laboratories and navigates multiple reference laboratory websites to ensure proper collection, processing transport, testing, and reporting of all referral testing.
• Meets all competency requirements and training timelines.
• Completes an in-depth sign off sheet related to processes and procedures performed by specimen processing.
• Prioritizes ordering, receiving, and processing of specimens for testing according to urgency of need and type of tests ordered.
• Navigates through multiple complex computer systems to meet testing requirements and maintain specimen integrity.
• Prioritizes specimen processing using the Lab Information System.
• Registers and orders testing as ordered by their physician and in compliance with system policies and procedures.
• Thinks critically, multitasks, and maintains accuracy during periods of frequent interruptions in a fast-paced environment.
• Supplies information to all clients and assists with any problems.
• Participates in the distribution of results via fax, phone, or delivery, as designated or as requested by clients.
• Responsible for monitoring outstanding lists and call/fax lists to provide timely reporting of results.
• Trains and mentors effectively using constructive feedback after meeting competency and experience requirements.
• Assists with the pre-analytical, appropriate parts of analytical, and post-analytical steps of laboratory testing.
• Performs maintenance on laboratory equipment.
• Maintains inventory and ordering of supplies for technical areas of the laboratory.
• Assists in department projects as needed.
• Provide excellent customer service by: answering incoming calls, providing information about specimen requirements, ordering tests, and handling courier dispatch.
• Supports the vision, mission and values of the organization in all respects.
• Supports Value Improvement Practice (VIP- Lean) principles of continuous improvement with energy and enthusiasm, functioning as a champion of change.
• Provides and maintains a safe environment for caregivers, patients and guests.
• Conducts all activities with the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality.
• Complies with all applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures, supporting the organization’s corporate integrity efforts by acting in an ethical and appropriate manner, reporting known or suspected violation of applicable rules, and cooperating fully with all organizational investigations and proceedings.
• Delivers customer service and/or patient care in a manner that promotes goodwill, is timely, efficient and accurate.
• May perform additional duties of similar complexity within the organization, as required or assigned.

EDUCATION:

Required: High school diploma or GED.

Preferred: Bachelor’s Degree, Associate’s degree, or participation in college-level science classes preferred.

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION:

Required: N/A

Preferred: Current national certification or licensure at the Assistant level by one or more of the following accredited credentialing agencies: ASCP, NHWA. Acceptable credentials: MLA (ASCP), NCMSMLA.

EXPERIENCE:

Required: Minimum one (1) year of paid customer service work experience.

Preferred: Two (2) years lab experience. Computer training and medical terminology knowledge.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:

Must be able to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required to perform the job safely.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Continually (75% or more): Use of clear and audible speaking voice and the ability to hear normal speech level.

Frequently (50%): Sitting, sitting, walking, lifting 1-10 pounds, keyboarding operation, grasping, squeezing.

Occasionally (25%): Bending, carrying/pushing/pulling 1-10 pounds.

Rarely (10%): Stooping, kneeling, crouching, climbing stairs, climbing ladder/step-stool, reaching overhead, lifting/carrying/pushing/pulling 11-25 pounds.

Never (0%): Lifting/carrying/pushing/pulling 25-50 pounds, operation of motor vehicle, whispered speech level.

Exposure to Elemental Factors Rarely (10%): Cold, Chemical solution. Never (0%): Heat, wet/slippery area, noise, dust, vibration, uneven surface.

Blood-Borne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Category Risk for Exposure to BBP.

Schedule Weekly Hours: 40 Caregiver Type: Regular Shift: Second Shift (United States of America) Is Exempt Position? No Job Family: ASSISTANT LAB Scheduled Days of the Week: Monday-Friday Shift Start & End Time: 1200 - 2030

St. Charles Health System is a private, nonprofit organization, dedicated to providing high-quality care and the latest in health care technology to the communities it serves. Headquartered in Bend, Ore., St. Charles is an integrated delivery system, with a strong focus on population health, that provides a full range of evidence-based health care services within a 32,000-square-mile area in Central and Eastern Oregon. The health system owns and operates a trauma level II, tertiary referral center in Bend, a trauma level III, type B rural hospital in Redmond, and trauma level IV critical access hospitals in both Prineville and Madras. As the largest employer in Central Oregon, St. Charles Health System and St. Charles Medical Group care for our communities in more than two dozen outpatient clinics and in more than 20 specialty areas of medicine.