Laboratory Technician

Why work for Nebraska Methodist Health System?
At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care – a culture that has and will continue to set us apart. It’s helping families grow by making each delivery special, conveying a difficult diagnosis with a compassionate touch, going above and beyond for a patient’s needs, or giving a high five when a patient beats a disease or conquers a personal health challenge. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a great work environment where all employees are valued! Most importantly, our employees are part of a team that makes a real difference in the communities we live and work in.

Job Summary:

Location: Nebraska Methodist Hospital
Address: 8303 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 1:00pm to 9:30pm. Rotating weekends 1x a month

Provide technical, and pre-analytic support services for all designated divisions of laboratory technical operations, and outreach client support services.

Laboratory Technician duties include specimen evaluation and processing, problem solving, exception handling, reporting, supply maintenance, and customer service. Perform specimen accessioning, splinting and sorting, labeling and storage of specimens received into the laboratory. Perform data entry to assign a specific computer generated identification number with accuracy, and in a timely manner. Pre-Analytical, and Post-Analytical duties include the basic operation of Automation System.

Must be able to communicate with hospital, and clinic staff regarding specimen requirements, ordering, and miscellaneous requests. This also includes management of the outpatient orders. Must be willing to project a professional image through inbound requests received by phone, electronically, in writing, and in person. Provide a supportive link between customers, and all the other departments of the Hospital.

Must be able to multi-task, and work in a high-paced environment as part of a team.

Responsibilities:

Essential Job Functions

Exhibits proficiency in core stations as outlined in Level I, and in order to move to Level II, must show proficiency in the following areas:

• Send out bench rotation
• Research processing
• 8100 operation and shift maintenance
• Ability to cover overnight shift
• Care Evolve general client maintenance
• Client services including phone coverage

Specimen Processing

• Process (i.e. centrifuge, aliquot, distribute, store) patient specimens appropriately, and in a safe manner to ensure accurate, and timely test results by following section policies and procedures.
• Perform Laboratory Information System (LIS), and Electronic Health Record (EHR) computer functions accurately to complete daily tasks.
• Properly processes, and distributes specimens following collection.
• Perform all specimen processing functions to receive, and process specimens according to laboratory protocol including, but not limited to:
  • Identification and preparation for the automation line.
  • Preparing specimens to be sent to the reference laboratories.
• Label specimens, and order documents using proper patient identification techniques.
• Accurately enter patient information (i.e. demographics, test orders, test results) in the computer to ensure timely reports to caregivers.
• Compliant per Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) guidelines 100% of the time.
• Accommodates patient, and laboratory needs by professionally responding to requests for flexibility in duties, schedules, and staffing.
• Maintain section materials, supplies, and equipment by following section policies.
• Prepares specimens for send out to reference laboratory, including communication with the reference laboratory in regard to proper specimen handling, and exceptions.
  • Responsible for ordering testing, and preparing specimens for shipment.

Pre-Analytical and Post-Analytical Automation

• Maintains compliance with established processes (i.e. turnaround time expectations, etc.) while collecting or handling specimens, orders, and results.
• Operate equipment for which they have received applicable training, and supervisor approval to perform.
• Performs, and ensures routine maintenance is completed, and documented 100% of the time.
• Responsible for operation, and troubleshooting of the automation line, patient storage tracking, and managing all exceptions, and recover specimens from AOB.
• Accurately perform, and evaluate appropriateness of patient specimens.
• Prioritize, and organize work to facilitate the timely, and accurate completion of multiple tasks simultaneously by assessing the urgency of the tasks, and the time required to complete them.
• Identify problems, and initiate immediate follow-up as necessary with the Technical Coordinator, Section Leader, or Medical Director(s) to ensure accurate, timely laboratory services by using critical thinking skills, and decisive judgment.
• Process send-out specimens to provide accurate transfer of information, and maintain optimal specimen integrity.

Anatomic Pathology

• Properly identify, label, process, and distribute specimens using standard protocol.
• Respond appropriately to internal, and external customer needs, and communicates any problems or issues to them.
• Assists with pathology send outs, assuring that the appropriate specimen is split between departments, and that appropriate demographic information is submitted with the specimen.

Client Services

• Assist with training of new staff, and MLS students.
• Communicate any problems or issues with the client or patient care team.
• Assures continuity of service by assisting other phlebotomists or imaging and access registration to maintain overall customer satisfaction.
• Utilizes the LIS to monitor the appropriate test pending logs, and communicate to the technical staff to ensure testing is not delayed.
• Reviews the daily discern lists for completed reports, and scan any manual reports into the patient's medical record.
• Manage client test results according to established procedures.
• Manage all outpatient orders, and support all order questions from clients, and imaging and access draw stations.
• Obtain verbal orders from providers according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) if not orders submitted to outpatient folder.
• Explains collection processes and procedures to patients, clients, and patient's families.
• Answer incoming calls with professional courtesy, and prompt response when follow-up is needed.
• Call/page critical values to the provider, and complete documentation of all calls in the EHR for all send out results.
• Utilize the EMR to efficiently complete add on tests requests, or to confer with the provider if the add on tests cannot be completed.
• Call all specimen rejection problems to the provider.
• Scan all manual requisitions into the patient's EMR, and maintain filing system for paperwork, and all transfer lists, and add on forms according to specific training guidelines.
• Fill, and pack all supply orders for the outreach clients, and communicate any questions about the order, delays in shipping, or back orders as required.
• Accommodates patient, and laboratory needs by professionally responding to requests for flexibility in duties, schedules, and staffing.

Laboratory Informatics and Interface

• Review, and release patient laboratory orders in the EHR including add on requests, phone calls from clients, physicians, ED, floor, surgery, and outpatients.
• Manage new providers that need to be added to Cerner, and Care Evolve.
• Manage, and merge duplicate MRN's in Cerner from Care Evolve clients.
• Manage the send out lists, unlisted orders, and check orders to make sure interface is transmitting correct information.

Communication and Education

• Document orientation, training, and education to ensure employee competence, provide excellent services, and meet accreditation requirements by effective verbal or written communication.
  • Organizational, and department competencies are completed 100% of the time.
  • Evidence that new procedures, and major procedure revisions are read, and understood.
  • Assists in training new, and existing staff including the review, and completion of orientation checklists, and skill/training checklists.
  • Supports the education of clinical laboratory scientist students.
• Communicates efficiently by answering telephones, taking messages, calling clients for test clarification, and forwarding information or call to appropriate staff.
  • Appropriate communication skill as directly observed by Service Leader or designee.
  • Phone calls are acted upon promptly, and handled in a professional manner per the customer service protocol as directly observed.
  • Employee brings issues of concern directly to the appropriate Service Leader or designee's attention as directly observed.

Schedule:

Monday through Friday 1:00pm to 9:30pm. Rotating weekends 1x a month

Job Description:

Job Requirements

Education

• High School diploma, GED or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred. (High School diploma or equivalent required for CAP surveyors only).

Experience

• Prior experience as a phlebotomist or data entry or specimen processor in a clinical laboratory or physician office preferred.

License/Certifications

• N/A

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Ability to effectively utilize personal computer, and standard office applications.
• Knowledge of computers.
• Knowledge of HL7 interface.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work demands, and handle multiple tasks.
• Knowledge of basic specimen collection, selection, handling, and storage activities.
• Must exhibit good customer service skills.
• Ability to handle stressful situations in a calm and professional manner.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.  

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands

• Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.

Physical Activity

• Not necessary for the position (0%):
  • Climbing
  • Crawling
  • Kneeling
• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%):
  • Balancing
  • Carrying
  • Crouching
  • Pulling/Pushing
  • Sitting
  • Stooping/bending
  • Twisting
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%):
  • Distinguish colors
  • Fingering/Touching
  • Grasping
  • Keyboarding/typing
  • Lifting
  • Reaching
  • Repetitive Motions
  • Speaking/talking
  • Standing
  • Walking
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%):
  • Hearing
  • Seeing/Visual

Job Hazards

• Not Related:
  • Explosives (pressurized gas)
  • Electrical Shock/Static
  • Radiation Alpha, Beta and Gamma (particles such as X-ray, Cat Scan, Gamma Knife, etc)
  • Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared and microwaves that causes injuries to tissue or thermal or photochemical means)
  • Mechanical moving parts/vibrations
• Rare (1-33%):
  • Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
  • Biological agents (primary air born and blood born viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact) (BBF)
  • Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
• Occasionally (34%-66%): - Equipment/Machinery/Tools
• Note: Safety Officer can assist with identification of job hazards.

About Methodist:

Nebraska Methodist Health System is made up of four hospitals in Nebraska and southwest Iowa, more than 30 clinic locations, a nursing and allied health college, and a medical supply distributorship and central laundry facility. From the day Methodist Hospital was chartered in 1891, service to our communities has been a top priority. Financial assistance, health education, outreach to our diverse communities and populations, and other community benefit activities have always been central to our mission.

Nebraska Methodist Health System is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by Federal, state or local law.