Morgue Attendant - Pathology

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 38,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, OH is seeking a Morgue Attendant to provide coverage during business hours, after hours, and holidays, handling decedent receipt and release, autopsy requests, and coroner referrals.

You will assist with transport, data entry in Excel/SharePoint, liaise with families and funeral homes, and ensure compliance with safety and documentation protocols.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED; certification may be preferred.
• 1 year of relevant experience required; 2–4 years preferred.
• Ability to move 100 pounds and lift 50 pounds.
• Basic familiarity with medical terminology; computer skills including MS Office.
• Eligible for premium pay for certain shift hours; on-call rotation and some holidays may be required.

Responsibilities

• Manage receipt and release of decedents during all shifts; coordinate with funeral homes and physicians.
• Assist with transfer, documentation, and case labeling; operate badge-only access and liaise with staff, families, and external entities.
• Dispose of biohazardous waste; deliver specimens to laboratories; barcode tracking of assets.
• Review autopsy documentation, obtain medical records, and prepare autopsy cases in LIS.
• Attend meetings and perform additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Empathetic communication

Professional phone etiquette

Data entry

Attention to detail

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Excel

SharePoint

Barcode scanning

Laboratory information systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Summary

Under general supervision, functions as a Morgue Attendant providing periodic coverage of the Morgue (during business hours, after business hours, and holidays) managing routine receipt and release of decedents and routine phone coverage; processes funeral home notifications/designations, autopsy requests, organ procurement notifications, and coroner’s office referrals for each decedent, as applicable; assists with the transfer of decedents from cart/bed to cart/bed; completes documentation required for receipt/release protocols; performs data entry into databases including Microsoft Excel and SharePoint systems; guides transporters in proper receipt/release protocols; operates badge-only access points during after-hours coverage; communicates with clinical staff, non-OSU entities, residents, faculty, autopsy staff and more via email and fax regarding decedent updates, required documentation, hand-off notices, and other pertinent information; serves as a liaison with internal and external physicians, staff, researchers, families, funeral homes and representatives from other healthcare facilities

Disposes of biohazardous and chemical waste safely and appropriately; requests pickup and delivery of environmental health and safety supplies; discards surgical and autopsy specimens, organizes and catalogs surgical specimens following transport from appropriate laboratories, delivers specimens and cassettes to appropriate laboratories; performs barcode scanning to track assets throughout workflows; prepares and closes conferences (cleans surfaces/tools/supplies, processes/replaces tissues)

Reviews and obtains documentation associated with authorization from legal next-of-kin for autopsy; discusses autopsy authorization processes and requirements with families and non-OSU facility representatives; obtains medical records and documentation from internal and external sources; operates clinical and pathology-specific laboratory information systems to prepare autopsy cases; accessions cases to chart autopsy data/documents and produce case labels; prepares case folders including requesting/receiving, sorting, & entering autopsy data into laboratory information systems

Performs routine and unanticipated cleaning; attends intra and interdivisional meetings; completes additional duties as assigned

Job Requirements

High School diploma or GED. Certification or vocational training may be preferred. 1 year of relevant experience required. 2-4 years of relevant experience preferred.

Experience with the principles, operations and maintenance of laboratory procedures and equipment desired; ability to move a minimum of 100 pounds and lift a minimum of 50 pounds required; ability to conduct professional and empathetic phone conversations strongly desired; basic familiarity with medical terminology desired; computer skills including knowledge of basic internet operation and Microsoft Office required.

Eligible for premium pay for shifts of at least four consecutive hours worked after 3:00 PM on weekdays, weekends, or holidays. Participation in an on-call rotation and occasional holiday coverage is required.

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.