Laboratory Assistant

Work Shift

Night Shift

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Summary

This position supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by providing clerical and limited technical services to the laboratory. The Laboratory Assistant assures quality test results by following policies and procedures, communicating effectively with co-workers, providers, and patients.

Job Description

Job Duties

• Ensures that accurate and clinically relevant information is communicated with patients, their families, and co-workers at hand offs and other times as needed. Take all measures necessary to ensure that the appropriate and involved parties have communicated necessary information in order to allow for the best possible patient outcome
• Reads and records temperatures and other daily chores
• Completes required department documentation
• Performs instrument maintenance
• Prioritizes workload to ensure timely reporting of results
• Maintains and improves skills by participating in at least one continuing education activity annually
• Actively seeks and identifies opportunities for process improvement
• Assists in procedure writing, updating, and validating
• Acts as a resource for laboratory medicine information to providers and others
• Uses laboratory information system access information and enter information
• Properly identifies patients and samples during the pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical phases of testing.
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines, carries out job-specific safety duties and responsibilities, and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents and injuries.

Department Specific Duties

Core Laboratory:

• Responsible for documenting and setting up new cultures according to sources and types
• Performs gram stains, performs and results Strep screens, RSV, Influenza A&B and other tests
• Collects nasal, nasal aspirates and throat cultures in the outpatient area and administers and reads TB skin tests
• Performs waived testing and other duties as assigned.
• Follows laboratory procedures for specimen collection, order entry, specimen receiving and all other duties.
• Prioritizes workload to ensure timely collection of patient samples.
• Performs specimen collection including phlebotomy and other specimen types as directed, with skill and compassion.
• Answers incoming phone calls and places outgoing calls in a timely manner using proper phone etiquette. 
• Receives specimens into the laboratory and delivers to proper locations.

Hiawatha Lab:

• Responsible for documenting and setting up new cultures according to sources and types
• Performs gram stains, performs and results Strep screens, RSV, Influenza A&B and other tests
• Collects nasal, nasal aspirates and throat cultures in the outpatient area and administers and reads TB skin tests
• Performs waived testing and other duties as assigned.
• Follows laboratory procedures for specimen collection, order entry, specimen receiving and all other duties.
• Prioritizes workload to ensure timely collection of patient samples.
• Performs specimen collection including phlebotomy and other specimen types as directed, with skill and compassion.
• Answers incoming phone calls and places outgoing calls in a timely manner using proper phone etiquette. 
• Receives specimens into the laboratory and delivers to proper locations.

Marion ED Lab:

• Must have a minimum of six months of Phlebotomy experience.
• Performs specimen collection including phlebotomy and other specimen types as directed, with skill and compassion.
• Performs waived testing and other duties as assigned.
• Follows laboratory procedures for specimen collection, order entry, specimen receiving and all other duties.
• Prioritizes workload to ensure timely collection of patient samples.
• Answers incoming phone calls and places outgoing calls in a timely manner using proper phone etiquette.
• Receives specimens into the laboratory and delivers to proper locations.

HPCC Laboratory:

• Responsible for documenting and setting up new cultures according to sources and types
• Performs gram stains, performs and results Strep screens, RSV, Influenza A&B and other tests
• Collects nasal, nasal aspirates and throat cultures in the outpatient area and administers and reads TB skin tests

Microbiology:

• Responsible for documenting and setting up new cultures according to sources and types
• Performs gram stains, performs and results Strep screens, RSV, Influenza A&B and other tests
• Collects nasal, nasal aspirates and throat cultures in the outpatient area and administers and reads TB skin tests

Phlebotomy:

• Responsible for documenting and setting up new cultures according to sources and types
• Performs gram stains, performs and results Strep screens, RSV, Influenza A&B and other tests
• Collects nasal, nasal aspirates and throat cultures in the outpatient area and administers and reads TB skin tests

Surgical Pathology:

• Responsible for specimen pick-up from OR and Endoscopy
• Performs specimen accessioning
• Assist cytology with body fluid preparation and Pap processing

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of laboratory testing procedures
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements, including CAP, COLA, CLIA, TJC, and FDA
• Ability to work quickly and efficiently under pressure without sacrificing quality
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work with interruptions
• Skilled in use of standard laboratory instrumentation
• Skilled in use of the laboratory information system (LIS)
• Ability to recognize and correct problems with quality control
• Ability to recognize problems and troubleshoot laboratory equipment
• Ability to detail-oriented
• Ability to complete appropriate documentation and paperwork clearly and completely
• Knowledge of different patient populations and their needs, including neonatal, pediatric, and, geriatric

Professional Experience

• Medical laboratory experience preferred, but not required.
• Six months' phlebotomy experience required for Marion ED Lab

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• N/A

Physical Requirements

Light: Exert up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Mercy is an independent, community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years.

Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.