Medical Lab Assistant

Laboratory Assistant

Laboratory assistants work under the direct supervision of the medical technologist (Medical Laboratory Specialist) and a pathologist or other qualified physician, performing pre-, post, and analytical tasks in histology, cytology, microbiology, and the general laboratory.

Responsibilities

Support for clinical testing (Duties are dependent upon site):

• Executes waived testing, including result reporting
• Histology/Cytology: Prepares tissue specimens (along with information entry into the laboratory information system) for technical personnel and the Pathologist. Assists with inventory management.
• General laboratory (Chemistry, Hematology, Urinalysis, Blood Bank): Prepares urine specimens for testing. Prepares analyzers for testing: Monitors inventory, loads supplies and specimens, and empties waste.
• Microbiology: Prepares and stains slides for bacteriologic study; Properly plates specimens on specified media. Prepares specimens for testing. Assists with inventory management. Prepares analyzers for testing.
• Keeps accurate temperature, quality control and various other required records.
• Assists with pending logs.

Specimen preparation and processing:

• Identifies specimens properly; uses basic tools of the laboratory proficiently, including centrifuges, incubators and balances; prepares specimens for processing; and performs venipunctures.
• Registers patients and accurately enters data into the hospital and laboratory information systems.

Other duties and responsibilities:

• Adheres to all laboratory policies and procedures.
• Maintains confidentiality of all medical information.
• Follows patient registration, billing and coding procedures where required.
• Demonstrates competency in Infection Prevention and Control practices and policies.
• Performance, operation, and reporting of waived and point-of-care testing (e.g., glucose, pregnancy tests, urine dipsticks, coagulation tests).
• Performance and interpretation of quality control; critical values and STAT results; result retrieval and reporting.
• Preparation, labeling, and staining of slides; microbiology setup and plating.
• Processes related to reagents, standards, and controls; analytical instrumentation (loading, test initiation, error recognition and reporting, specimen dilution, and calibrations).
• Review, clarification, and verification of physician orders.
• Follows strict identification policies to accurately identify specimens and perform specimen labeling.
• Determines acceptability of specimen for testing, specimen prioritization and distribution, specimen storage, transport, and special handling considerations (time, temperature, and light).
• Specimen processing including, but not limited to, centrifugation and aliquoting.
• Adheres to all Federal CLIA, CAP, and OSHA regulations.
• Regulations; safety and infection control; waste disposal; laboratory equipment; professionalism and ethics; and laboratory information system (LIS)
• Provides for the age specific needs of the population served according to department standards and policies/procedures as evidenced by observation, documentation, and peer feedback for patients who range in age from birth to 100+ years.
• All other duties as assigned.

Certifications and Licensures

Credential: MLA (ASCP): Medical Laboratory Assistant

Equivalent Experience: Required within 12 months of hire or transfer into role.

Essential: true

Required Education

Education: HIGH

Equivalent Experience: One of the following combinations as outlined by ASCP must be met.

• High School Diploma or equivalent AND one of the following:
• a. Successful completion of NAACLS approved Clinical Assistant program with in the last five years
• b. Successful completion of a 50-week U.S. military medical laboratory training course in the last ten years
• c. 2 years of full-time clinical laboratory experience
• High School Diploma or equivalent and must satisfy both a. AND b.
• a. Associates degree or 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) from a regionally accredited college with a minimum of 6 semester hours (9 semester hours) of each chemistry and biology.
• b. 1 year of full-time clinical laboratory experience
• High School Diploma or equivalent and must satisfy both a. AND b.
• a. Valid PBT (ASCP) certification.
• b. 1 year of full-time clinical laboratory experience
• High School Graduation or Equivalent and must satisfy both a. and b.
• a. Successful completion of an acceptable two-part formal structured medical laboratory assistant program within the last 5 years that consists of classroom training and clinical laboratory training.
• b. 6 months of full-time clinical laboratory experience
• CLINICAL LABORATORY EXPERIENCE: To fulfill the experience requirement for the Medical Laboratory Assistant examination, you must have clinical laboratory experience within the timeframe required in ALL of the following areas: Specimen Preparation and Processing Support for Clinical Testing Laboratory Operations.

Education Specialization

Essential: true

Other Information

EXPERIENCE, TRAINING AND SKILLS: Organization skills, manual dexterity, customer service skills, communication skills, teamwork skills, and computer skills are required. MyMichigan Health is a technology driven organization and employees need to demonstrate competency in Microsoft Windows. An employee may be required to participate in further learning opportunities offered by MyMichigan Health.

Six (6) months experience in a clinical or microbiology laboratory and/or one (1) year experience in handling biological specimens preferred.

Medical terminology, knowledge of laboratory policies, procedures and protocols are preferred. Knowledge of MISYS LIS, HIS and admitting policies and procedures are preferred.

Job shadow in the laboratory department may be required commensurate to experience in the department.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS AND TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS: Exposure to stressful situations, including those involving public contact, as well as trauma, grief and death. Able to wear personal protective equipment that includes latex materials or appropriate substitute if required for your position. Able to move freely about facility with or without an assisted device and must be able to perform the functions of the job as outlined in the job description. Overall vision and hearing are necessary with or without assisted device(s). Frequently required to sit/stand/walk for long periods of time. May require frequent postural changes such as stooping, kneeling or crouching.