JOB SUMMARY:

This job exists to aid clinicians in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases by accurately testing patient specimens, correlating data and reporting results in a timely manner to support quality patient care. Holiday and weekend rotation may be required for this position.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience

• N/A

Education

• Baccalaureate degree in Chemical, Physical or Biological Sciences.

License, Certification, Registration

• Medical Lab Scientist Certificate within 3 months of hire from American Society for Clinical Pathologists OR American Medical Technologist Medical Technologist Certificate within 3 months of hire OR Medical Technologist Certificate within 3 months of hire from American Society for Clinical Pathologists

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Completion of structured program in medical technology that is recognized by ASCP or NCA or working as a medical technologist at Kaiser Permanente in the NW Region prior to 2008.
• Demonstrated customer-focused service skills.
• Demonstrated verbal and written command of the English language adequate for providing training to laboratory and non-laboratory staff, for communicating specimen collecting and handling requirements and providing help and support to laboratory and other health care staff.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Basic computer knowledge.
• Note: Technical staff certified by ASCP after 1/1/04 must recertify every 3 years. Before 1/1/04 certification was lifetime.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two (2) years of recent clinical laboratory experience.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze situations to make operational decisions to meet clinical needs.
• Advanced computer knowledge.
• Demonstrated skills in organizing, prioritizing and problem solving.

• Problem solves to achieve acceptable test results and assure optimal system and instrument operations: formulate a plan of action for situations not addressed in standard operating procedures; interpret and verify lab findings with regard to type and quality of specimen submitted; correlate test results with available clinical information and other laboratory data. Determine clinical relevance of findings by communication with providers. Analyze and evaluate each process of testing to assure that final results are valid and accurate. Serve as a resource for medical laboratory technicians, Phlebotomists, assistants and other laboratory personnel in trouble-shooting problems with analytical and pre-analytical phases of the laboratory testing process, and in standard operational decision-making.
• Conduct laboratory testing: perform and report lab tests according to laboratory procedures. Initiate and implement a course of action with supervisors and technical specialists to organize workflow to accomplish efficient and accurate output; review and verify results for accuracy and credibility prior to release; record and report results in a timely manner.
• Ensure compliance with Quality Control and Quality Assurance Programs including POCT, to affect highest quality patient care: perform Quality Control (QC) procedures with appropriate documentation; take corrective action to resolve problems; review unresolved problems with supervisor; report action limit results according to standard procedures; perform proficiency testing and report results. Collaborate with supervisor, technical specialist and other departments to address quality of service issues and to implement internal quality assurance monitors or projects. Evaluate method performance by Performing weekly and monthly QC review and preparing monthly QC report as assigned.
• Maintain and update technical knowledge skills by actively participating in department meetings, continuing education and inservice instructions; Develop operational procedures to ensure effective workflow in conjunction with supervisors and technical specialists. Assist in the training of technical students and/or new employees; review work; recommend improvements; provide input for performance evaluations when requested. Develop written training procedures; assist in the development and update of technical procedures; review and critique new procedures developed by others. Accept special projects as needed.
• Coordinate laboratory operations in support of the supervisor by monitoring workflow and by making adjustments as necessary to maintain optimum service level; serve as a resource for unresolved problems; advise providers and nursing service personnel of correct procedures for collecting, handling and processing specimens; assist providers in determining appropriate laboratory services to be used for patient care. Participate in review of Proficiency Testing critiques. Support MLT instrument partners. Included in these accountabilities, the following tasks are performed exclusively by technologist level staff or higher: Primary instrument partner for major analyzers (e.g. high throughput Chem & Heme); others can act as secondary instrument partner. Monthly QC review. Perform more advanced testing, such as: Micro QC bench. Abnormal Protein identification by electrophoresis. Smear review as back up for hematology technical specialist. Complex Molecular testing. Flow cytometry. Toxicology and other mass spectrophotometry technology. Client Services technical resource, research and triage technical questions. Histocompatibility Testing. Work up of positive AFB and fungus cultures. HPLC organism identification. Trainer for differential blood counts and microscopic blood parasite identification.