Medical Laboratory Assistant - Microbiology

at  William Osler Health System

Company Description
One of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for many consecutive years, William Osler Health System (Osler) provides a safe and supportive health care network to grow your career. Osler is nationally recognized for its commitment to patient safety and is Accredited with Exemplary Standing, the highest rating a Canadian hospital can receive. As a major Ontario hospital system, and home to some of the biggest specialty and emergency departments in the country, Osler serves the 1.3 million residents of Brampton, Etobicoke and surrounding communities. We are proud to offer you incredible exposure to best-in-class health care delivery and challenging hands-on opportunities to stay at the top of your game.
A hospital system built for and by the community, we continue to expand our services to meet the needs of a growing population, creating opportunities for increased hands-on skills development, cross-department training and promotional opportunities. Guided by our accomplished senior leadership team, together we are driving our vision of patient-inspired health care without boundaries.
At Osler, we invest in careers that go beyond where health care professionals like you can achieve their goals and find deep personal and professional fulfillment.
Job Description

Accountabilities:

• Receives and unpacks specimens delivered by pneumatic tube system, courier, hospital staff (and outpatients if required)
• Registers patient information in computer as needed; accessions specimens; labels, numbers and aliquots specimens as required
• Uses positive patient identification to ensure that all requisitions, specimens, sample aliquots are traceable
• Applies specimen acceptance and rejection criteria as per established laboratory policies
• Enters add-on test requests in computer; retrieves specimens for further testing as required
• Answers phone inquiries and provides customer service to resolve issues
• Faxes reports according to protocol
• Prepares and ships samples to referral laboratories (includes documentation, labelling and packaging) in shipping containers at suitable conditions to maintain specimen integrity
• Proper storage and discarding of specimens in accordance with retention policies and biohazard waste protocols
• Reagent/stain preparation, reconstitution, and filtering according to procedures
• Familiar with COVID-19 sample preparation, including extraction
• Ability to run, maintain and troubleshoot COVID-19 specific equipment
• Performs quality control testing as required
• Operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment, including properly functioning quality controlled automated analyzers as applicable
• Reviews outstanding specimen reports (pending lists), and investigates outliers
• Transcription of results from worksheets/reports into computer for final verification by MLT
• Performs temperature monitoring of refrigerators, freezers and incubators
• Maintains knowledge of current policies and procedures in their assigned work area, completes action items, reads work-related emails, attends staff meetings, stays informed, etc.
• Understands and actively participates in maintaining the laboratory quality management system
• Participates in detecting, reporting, correcting and preventing unexpected occurrences, identifies opportunities for improvement
• Completes occurrence reports (DATIX), applies relevant markers and canned text comments
• Maintains confidentiality in accordance with Osler policy
• Washes glassware, performs general laboratory housekeeping, disinfects benches and equipment
• Biohazard waste containment, packaging and storage for pick-up
• Receipt of inventory and applies acceptance criteria; records and reports unacceptability
• Monitors and maintains inventory
• Participates in continuing education activities
• Other duties as assigned according to training and scope of practice
• May be required to cross-train into other lab areas based on operational need
• May be required to attend hospital during off hours to attend to emergency situations

QUALIFICATIONS

• Successful completion of an Ontario secondary school diploma
• Graduate of an accredited medical laboratory assistant/technician program
• Current certification and registration with OSMT, CSMLS and/or CMLTO voluntary roster
• Minimum two years experience in microbiology preferred
• Recent experience working and/or clinical placement in a hospital laboratory receiving area required
• Knowledge of Meditech, Paradigm and Microsoft Office programs would be an asset
• Excellent organization and communication skills
• Proven ability to be a team player
• Strong multi-tasking and problem solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and maintain high level of productivity, competence and professionalism
• Must demonstrate Osler’s Values of Respect, Excellence, Service, Compassion, Innovation and Collaboration
• Excellent attendance, punctuality and work record
• Required to travel between and work at all Osler sites
• Transport of Dangerous Goods knowledge and training
  Additional Information
  Hours: Currently Days/Evenings/Nights, including weekends and statutory holidays
  (subject to change in accordance with operational requirements)

Please refer the Job description for details