Pathology Support I

PathGroup; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking a dedicated professional for a lab support position in Columbia, South Carolina. The responsibilities include accessioning tissue specimens, assisting pathologists, and ensuring proper handling and disposal of hazardous waste. The candidate will also maintain quality control and interact with surgical teams regarding specimen collection and processing. Compliance with safety protocols and corporate policies is essential. This role is critical to maintaining efficient laboratory operations and ensuring high-quality patient care.

Responsibilities

• Accession all tissue specimens and make cassettes.
• Assist pathologist and pathologist assistants in cutting room.
• Perform frozen sections when location permits.
• Properly hang tissue on the processors.
• Determine/select specimens for grossing.
• Photograph specimens using various formats.
• Prepare tissue for further testing.
• Operate the Faxitron machine for specimen radiographs.
• Check surgery schedules for frozen sections.
• Record daily cases and maintain quality control charts.
• Prepare routine solutions and maintain an inventory.
• Handle and dispose of hazardous waste properly.
• Perform maintenance on cryostats as necessary.
• Run Quality Control reports for Anatomic Pathology.
• Answer questions about reports and tissue handling.
• Stay updated with procedure manuals and changes.
• Follow laboratory safety precautions.
• Adhere to privacy and security guidelines.
• Comply with the Corporate Compliance Program.

Job description

Job Summary

This position is responsible for various duties supporting lab procedures including accessioning tissue specimen.

Essential Functions

• Accession all tissue specimens and make cassettes.
• Assist pathologist and pathologist assistants in cutting room.
• Perform frozen sections (location dependent).
• Properly hang tissue on the processors.
• Responsible for determining/selecting specimens for grossing.
• Photograph specimens (Polaroid, digital, and 35 mm).
• Prepare tissue to be sent out for further testing such as Lymphoma Phenotyping, Quantitative Iron studies, etc.
• Operate the Faxitron machine for specimen radiographs.
• Check campus surgery schedules for probable frozen sections, collect specimens from all campus surgery locations ensuring they are properly listed, and check the surgery board for add cases, cancels, and late specimens (location dependent).
• Records the number of cases daily, maintains the log of decal specimens, and keeps quality control charts on equipment in the accession and cutting room.
• Prepare routine solutions, maintain an inventory of supplies and store in proper location and keep a clean work area.
• Responsible for proper disposal and handling of hazardous waste to include xylene recycling (i.e. xylene, reagent alcohol, formaldehyde, B5) and dispose of specimens according to procedures.
• Perform routine maintenance on cryostats, both in house and in outlying hospitals (location dependent).
• Run Quality Control reports, extracting data into monthly reports to Anatomic Pathology. (location dependent)
• Receive incoming calls and answer questions about reports/handling tissue. (location dependent)
• Review procedure manuals and stay current with procedural changes that have occurred.
• Exercise all laboratory safety precautions and adhere to lab procedures as stated in procedure manuals.
• Perform all job responsibilities in alignment with the industry's best security practices and regulatory guidelines to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information and other sensitive company data.
• Must be familiar with and abide by the Corporate Compliance Program and all Corporate policies, including the Privacy and Security policies.