Medical Laboratory associate I

Yale New Haven Health; Bridgeport (CT); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Yale New Haven Health is seeking a Laboratory Support Technician at Bridgeport Hospital to assist with specimen processing, data entry in HIS, and routine testing support. The role emphasizes patient-centered, team-based care within a hospital laboratory setting.

The position requires a HS diploma or equivalent, excellent communication, and basic computer skills. Experience is not required, and coworkers collaborate to ensure quality care and timely results.

Qualifications

• HS Diploma or equivalency required.
• Experience not required.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills; positive teamwork orientation.

Responsibilities

• Understand and adhere to Performance Standards, Policies and Behaviors.
• Handle telephone inquiries and transfer as needed.
• Register patients in HIS as needed.
• Process specimens to ensure timely reporting of results.
• Maintain hardware and equipment as needed.
• Use hospital systems for accurate data entry and retrieval.
• Perform other duties as needed.
• Assist with training new employees.

Skills

Excellent communication

Customer service

Basic computer skills

Teamwork

Education

HS Diploma or equivalency exam

Tools

HIS

Laboratory information systems

Job description

Overview

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values – integrity, patient‑centered care, respect, accountability, and compassion – must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.

At Bridgeport Hospital, we are committed to providing quality medical care and treatment that is coordinated and centered on the patient’s specific needs. We strive to achieve benchmarks as a Patient Centered Medical Home and provide health care in a setting where patients are at the center of their care team. All employees of Bridgeport Hospital are part of the patient’s care team and contribute to the team approach of promoting access, continuous, comprehensive care and work to provide quality improvement in the care provided to their patients.

Responsibilities

• Understand and adhere to Performance Standards, Policies and Behaviors.
• Demonstrate knowledge of department and hospital policies and procedures and their execution.
• Handle telephone inquiries, transfer as needed.
• Receive, accession and process specimens to ensure timely reporting of results. Ensure positive patient identification.
• Perform registration in HIS as needed.
• Process reference lab testing as needed.
• Perform testing as needed.
• Independently troubleshoot specimen‑related problems.
• Assist with training new employees.
• Maintain hardware and equipment as needed.
• Use computer programs in laboratory and hospital‑based systems to ensure accurate data entry and retrieval.
• Perform other duties as needed.
• Blood bank (if applicable):
  • Announce MTP; assist with set up, issue, replacement of blood products.
  • Select ABO Rh compatible platelets and FFP, set up on patient, print compatibility tag.
  • Issue blood products after thorough review of blood product release form.
  • Accept blood products back into inventory or discard returned blood products after determining suitability.
  • May irradiate blood products and go to the OR to retrieve blood products.
• Microbiology (if applicable):
  • Understand sterile technique and best practices.
  • Pre‑analytical specimen processing includes tissue grinding, media or lysis inoculation, and manual agar streaking.
  • Understand appropriate incubation environments based on specimen type and protocol.
  • Operate pre‑analytical instrumentation including laboratory automation systems, centrifuges, biosafety cabinets, and environmental incubation systems.
  • Proficient in applicable staining techniques including Gram stain preparation.
• Pathology (if applicable):
  • Assist with FNAs and frozen sections when applicable. Assist with office duties as needed.
  • Sign off on the hazardous waste manifest when needed.
  • Package and ship all AP specimens.
  • Registration of all AP samples.
  • Pre‑analytical specimen processing includes aliquoting of specimens for additional testing.
  • Slide/block cover‑slip, distribution, and/or filing.
  • Disposal of pathology specimens.
  • Maintain cytology/histology department daily and monthly maintenance charts.
  • Responsible for cleaning and maintenance in accordance with universal precautions.
  • Under direct supervision of the pathologist assistant or pathologist, preserve samples for testing.
  • Assist with H&E slide preparation, including loading and unloading of slides into/from auto‑stainer, and operating cover slipper.
  • Transcribe pathology gross description and/or diagnosis.

Qualifications

Education: HS Diploma or equivalency exam.

Experience: Experience not required.

Special Skills: Excellent communication skills and customer service skills. Basic computer skills. Consistently interacts with coworkers and customers in a positive manner. Cooperatively and proactively assists in other areas as needed in a teamwork‑oriented environment. Maintains procedure knowledge and implements all new and revised procedures in real‑time. Maintains all Quality Control and Quality Assurance standards at all times.

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran.