Phlebotomist

Job Summary

Responsible for all phlebotomy duties and functions.

Essential Functions

Staff Education

• Explains procedures and lab tests to colleagues, newly hired staff, hospital personnel, students or volunteers taking into consideration language and educational level.

• Participates in required amount of continuing education hours for self-development and skilled job performance. (CEU's based on requirements to maintain licensure)

• Participates in online CME's offered by CAP (Completes at least 3 per year)
• Observes memorandums accordingly.
• Annually reviews procedures and manuals
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.

Inventory

• Ensures appropriate supplies are on hand and items are ordered in sufficient amount of time.
• Ensures that all supplies are stored appropriately according to manufacturer's recommendation.
• Restocks work area with appropriate supplies.
• Identifies unserviceable equipment and reports to supervisor.
• Properly discards outdated material.
• Demonstrates proper procedure for rotating supplies.
• Maintains an adequate supply of specimen collection equipment, (i.e., routine, special test and reference test needs).
• Correctly processes all incoming general laboratory supplies.
• Picks-up Supplies from Central supply weekly.
• Put away phlebotomy supplies upon delivery/receipt.
• Restock phlebotomy room daily.
• Keeps phlebotomy cart or station neat, clean, and well-organized at all times.
• Keeps the Phlebotomy areas neat, clean and well stocked with supplies.
• Utilizes supplies equipment in a non-wasteful manner.

Infection Control Procedures

• Refers to and implements the EOGH Infection Control Policy
• Practice infection control standards at all times when working with patients and equipment
• Is attentive to and follows hospital policy with regard to "Standard Precautions"
• Maintains specimen integrity by using aseptic technique, following department procedures; observing isolation procedures.
• Uses proper PPE during laboratory testing
• Uses proper technique for disposing of sharps, infectious and regulated medical waste
• Storing clean and sterile supplies
• Safety needles and safety transfer devices
• Collecting and transporting lab specimens
• States indications for and demonstrates proper use of personal protective equipment (gloves, gowns, N95 masks, and eye protection)
• Uses proper technique for managing blood spills
• Demonstrates proper hand washing technique
• Demonstrates proper cleaning and decontamination of workstation using appropriate cleaning agents
• Demonstrates knowledge of procedures for managing a needlestick or blood borne pathogen exposure
  Telephone Courtesy & Customer Service

• Greets patients in a courteous manner, responds to patients with empathy and positive interpersonal skills and explains procedures to be performed in a an age appropriate manner

• Continuously works at establishing a good rapport and cooperative working relationship with all co-workers
• Inspires confidence from patients and visitors by performing and communicating in a professional manner at all times
• Recognizes and is able to effectively function within the Laboratory and Hospital organizational structure
• Politely answers the telephone and transfers calls appropriately
• Answers phone within 3 rings
• Accurately takes messages and delivers to appropriate individuals promptly.
• Ensures patient confidentiality at all times.

• Accurately and professionally conveys patient results to inquiring authorized physicians and patient care representatives
• Maintains professional composure and confidence during stressful situations.
• Expect to work with a large number of patients varying in age and health status
• Be friendly, courteous and sympathetic when it comes to working with patients
• Maintains safe, secure, and healthy work environment by following standards and procedures; complying with legal regulations.
• Enhances phlebotomy department and hospital reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
• Serves and protects the hospital community by adhering to professional standards, hospital policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and TJC standards.

Phlebotomy/Specimen Collection

• Practice proper patient identification
• Always identifies correct out-patients of all ages by comparing name and date of birth and medical record number on registration forms with name and medical record number with the patient's wristband before a procedure is performed.
• Always identifies correct out-patients of all ages by requesting the patient (or guardian) to state his / her full name and date of birth (DOB) comparing that with the name and DOB on the requisition.
• Recognizes the fragility of veins on geriatric or very ill patients and adjusts techniques to prevent injury to the patient
• Decipher the best method for drawing blood depending on the specific patient
• Selects correct collection tubes for the requested test
• Collect blood samples from patients by performing venipunctures
• Consistently draws blood properly using established laboratory procedures ( i.e., proper patient identification, proper tube selection, etc.); rarely fails to obtain a blood sample on the first attempt
• Accurately performs venipuncture procedures when requested or when required
  1. Differentiates anticoagulants and blood collection tubes, as well as demonstrate knowledge of which tubes are used for which lab tests.
  2. Ensures safe transport of specimens
• Always verifies and collects proper samples required for specific tests
• Collects tubes in correct order, fills appropriately, and mixes anticoagulant tubes properly
• Ensures that the patient is not bleeding after a puncture
• Properly disposes needles in the sharps container
• Demonstrates proper blood culture collection techniques
• Always initials, dates and records time blood, urine or culture collected on all collection tubes
• Always accurately labels specimens (patient's name, medical record number, initials, date and time collected)
• Ensures that the patient is not dizzy or lightheaded before standing and displays proper courtesy
• Ensures safe transport of specimens whether in ice, room temp, protection from light
• Transport all specimen samples to the laboratory via pneumatic tube or hand delivery
• Properly performs Glucose tolerance tests; Identifies proper glucose load for tolerance tests
• Ensures and maintains awareness of proper timing and collection for special tests and attempts to collect these specimens at appropriate time (i.e., Glucose, Drugs-peak and trough, Blood Cultures, etc.)
• Properly instructs out-patients of all ages, in the correct way to collect urine specimens (i.e., for C&S, GTT's, etc.)
• Washes hands in between patients, before, and after drawing blood.
• Knowledgeable of the downtime protocol
• Report issues and concerns immediately to lab management.
• Assists in centrifuging/spinning specimens.
• Prioritizes work to achieve maximum efficiency; can adjust schedule in view of STAT orders, admissions, etc. and can obtain timed specimens within 10 minutes of time of order.
• Inform supervisor when leaving the department.
• Correctly processes all lab requisitions, forms, and specimens for routine and reference tests
• Accepts or rejects specimens based on evaluation being aware that special criteria exist for irretrievable specimens
• Performs specimen rejection procedures.
• Documents necessary information upon specimen rejection.
• Follows through with problem specimens.

• Ensures proper identification and labeling of accessioned specimens.

• Consistently completes duties neatly, accurately and in a timely manner.
• Shares appropriate communication with other laboratory personnel involving difficult Venipuncture, timed specimens, etc.
• Consistently completes routine blood draws in a timely manner
• Processes all laboratory test requisitions and specimens quickly, efficiently and appropriately.
• Assists other laboratory personnel as workload permits without being requested to do so.
• Consistently determines proper priorities when organizing daily tasks and is able to adjust schedule in view of STAT's, out-patients and time draws.
• Organizes work for effective utilization of time.
• Refers to appropriate policy and procedure manuals as necessary and communicates with reference labs for proper specimen requirements.
• Readily assists other laboratory personnel when requested.
• Takes direction from the Lab Supervisor for specimen collection and deliver of patient reports.
• Accepts responsibility for and becomes available to work a different shift when workload and / or other conditions warrant.
• Can perform all tasks assigned to the Phlebotomist.
• Responds to changes in work schedules as necessary or as requested.
• Accepts responsibility for and becomes available to work a different work shift when workload and / or other conditions warrant.
• Seeks assistance when necessary from the medical technologist or supervisor in solving technical or personnel problems
• Shows ability to handle unexpected situations and is able to exercise independent thought and actions when necessary.
• Demonstrates competence in all procedures required of a phlebotomist in accordance with institutional policies; with particular emphasis on blood samples, blood cultures, referral tests and specimen requirements.
• Resolves unusual test orders by contacting the physician, pathologist, or reference laboratory; referring unresolved orders back to the originator for further clarification; notifying supervisor of unresolved orders.

• Performs other duties as requested or assigned.
  Computer Operations and Clerical Support

• Receives specimens according to protocol (i.e. collecting and logging-in samples)
• Troubleshoots printer messages
• Demonstrates efficiency in handling printers (i.e. ribbon and paper change)
• Knowledgeable in canceling, ordering tests
• Knowledgeable in admitting, searching patients
• Knowledgeable in Archive functions

• Fax results via the LIS or manual fax machine
• Assist with sending out specimens to the reference laboratory
  Safety and Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP)

• Describes unit safety plan and knows location of manual in the laboratory.
• Understands the HAZCOM program and use/location of MSDS books
• Demonstrates ability to respond to codes
• Identifies potential or actual unsafe environmental situations.

• Provides interventions to rectify unsafe situations and/or reports as necessary.
• Enforces and follows all laboratory safety rules and reports any possible hazards to the Laboratory Supervisor, Director or Safety Officer

Endorsements

• Accurately documents endorsements to the next shift
• Acknowledges endorsements from the previous shift
• Reviews previous correspondence from various shifts

• Follows through with colleagues and supervisor outstanding issues

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Minimum Education/Certifications
High School Diploma or equivalent; In lieu of High School Diploma- Phlebotomy Certification will be viewed as an equivalent until HS diploma/equivalent is received.

Minimum Work Experience
Experienced phlebotomist in a hospital setting preferred, minimum of 6 months experience in a healthcare environment; ASCP license or equivalent preferred.

Working Conditions

Physical Demands: Must be able to lift or carry objects which may weigh up to 25 pounds; Full range of body motion; Manual and finger dexterity with eye-hand coordination; Requires standing, bending and walking for extensive periods; Requires the use of computer terminals and telephones; Requires working irregular hours (evenings, nights, weekends);

Working Conditions: Frequent contact with water and alcohol gels (hand washing and cleaning); Hazardous working conditions in which the individual may be exposed to a risk of bodily injury through contact with moving instrumentation and body fluids.

CareWell Health provides a salary/hourly rate range for all open positions to comply with New Jersey Law. The rates listed for each position is a good faith determination of potential base compensation that may be offered to a successful applicant for this position at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future. When determining a team member's base salary and/or rate, several factors may be considered as applicable (e.g., specialty, service line, years of relevant experience, education, credentials, negotiated contracts, budget and internal equity). The salary range does not include bonuses/incentives, differential pay or other forms of compensation which can be discussed in detail with your talent acquisition specialist.

The salary/hourly rate range for this position is:

Salary ranges shown on third-party job sites may not accurately reflect ranges provided by CareWell Health. Candidates should discuss salary/hourly compensation and details of our comprehensive benefits with our talent acquisition specialist if selected for an interview.

We offer an excellent benefit package including but not limited to the following benefit offerings:

Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
Basic Life and Disability Insurance
Whole Life, Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Employee Assistance Program
401(k)
Paid Holidays and a generous Paid Time Off Plan