Laboratory Assistant

Description

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Responsibilities include phlebotomy, collecting, preparing, and processing biological specimens. Assists in clerical duties, running POCT, and packing or unpacking supplies.

This is a PRN position working variable days and hours.

JOB FUNCTIONS

• Collects venous and capillary blood specimens according to laboratory protocol.
• Maintains phlebotomy tray and work area to minimize exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
• Provides appropriate laboratory services and care to the following age groups: infants, pediatrics, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics. This care will be delivered in accordance with established standards of performance.
• Assists with inventory and receiving supplies.
• Performs clerical duties such as filing patient reports and maintaining statistics for workload recording units.
• Processes specimens to be performed in-house or sent out to reference laboratories.
• Responsible for maintaining interpersonal skills, initiative, and attitude.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.
• Performs urine drug screens with certification provided.
• Performs breath alcohol testing and draws legal blood alcohols with certification provided.
• Adheres to hospital and department policies.
• Adheres to hospital/department exposure control policies and safety policies.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS POSITION:

1. Preparation & Training - Certification as a phlebotomist is preferred. Ability to be trained on the job. BLS certified for CPR. Position is required to attend Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NCI) training in the appropriate timeframe according to department orientation checklist.
2. Work Experience - Previous work experience in a medical setting and basic knowledge of human anatomy and medical terminology is beneficial.  
3. Attendance - Punctual and regular attendance is an essential responsibility of each employee at JRMC. Employee is expected to report to work as scheduled, on time and prepared to start working. Employees are also expected to remain at work for their entire work schedule.
4. Analytical Ability - Performs POCT including quality control as needed and in accordance to laboratory procedures.
5. Independent Judgement - Attempts to understand patient's needs and responds accordingly. Prioritizes the drawing of patients. Selects the best method for obtaining a blood specimen. Seeks guidance from lab techs/Lab Manager as needed.
6. Contact with Others - Has frequent contact with patients, patient's families, physicians, nurses, and co-workers often under critical situations.
7. Supervising the Work of Others - May be responsible for orientating new personnel and ensuring proper procedures are performed.
8. Responsibility for Welfare of Others - Assumes primary responsibilities for specific functions within the limits of standard practice established by policy and procedure.
9. Mental/Visual Effort - Obtains specimens that are critical to the care of patients. Minimizes exposure of others to bloodborne pathogens, bacteriologic agents, and hazardous chemicals.
10. Working Conditions - Must be able to speak and write the English language in an understandable manner. Must be able to read and comprehend department policy manuals. Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to assure that the major requirements of this position can be fully met. Must be in good general health and demonstrate emotional stability. Visual acuity and color perception are necessary for performing routine laboratory procedures.
11. Physical & Sensory Effort - Role requires moderate physical effort, including prolonged standing or kneeling at patient bedside, frequent walking between departments and handling sample materials. Repetitive tasks like pipetting, labeling, preparing specimens, as well as lifting supplies. The position also requires moderate sensory effect for observing collection areas, viewing and measuring samples and detecting changes in sample tests. 
12. Promotion - No formal line of promotion
13. Background - A comprehensive background check and drug screening will be conducted as a condition of employment for this role. 
14. Drug Screen - A urine drug screening is required for all positions and must be completed within 30 days of the date of hire.
15. Other - Position requires the individual to provide a vehicle for transportation. Must hold a valid North Dakota Drivers License.
16. Physical Requirement - These are physical requirements of the position that may be performed as part of daily duties. Inability to meet one or more of these physical requirements will not automatically disqualify a candidate or employee from the position. Upon request for reasonable accommodation, JRMC may be able to adjust or excuse one or more of these requirements, depending on the requirement, the essential functions to which it relates and the proposed accommodation.

Employee Requirement: 

• Visual Observation - Continuously
• Standing - Continuously
• Walking - Frequently
• Sitting - Frequently
• Hands and Finger Dexterity - Continuously 
• Reaching with Hands and Arms - Continuously 
• Climbing - Occasionally
• Stooping/Kneeling/Crouching/Crawling - Frequently 
• Hearing/Listening - Continuously
• Tasting or Smelling - Rarely
• Working Inside - Continuously
• Working Outside - Rarely
• Working in Extreme Heat - Never
• Working in Extreme Cold - Never
• Working with Hazardous Materials - Frequently
• Noise - Continuously
• Working in Dirt/Dust - Never
• Driving - Occasionally

Lifting / Carrying / Pushing / Pulling:

• Up to 10 pounds - Frequently
• Up to 25 pounds - Occasionally
• Up to 50 pounds - Occasionally
• Up to 75 pounds - Rarely
• Up to 100 pounds - Never
• Over 100 pounds - Never