Medical Laboratory Scientist or Technician

Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS)

Reports To Position: Laboratory Supervisor, Manager or Director

Department: Laboratory

Date Last Reviewed: October 13, 2016

Our Vision: Creating America's healthiest community, together

Our Mission: In the spirit of love and compassion, better health, better care, better value

Our Values: Accountability, Caring and Teamwork

Departmental Summary: The laboratory departments provide many services to our multi-hospital organization and outreach community including: blood collection, processing, testing, and reporting of results, spanning all disciplines of laboratory medicine.

Position Overview: The Medical Laboratory Scientist at St. Charles Health System performs, interprets and reports clinical laboratory testing on a variety of human biological specimen types. This position does not directly manage other caregivers, however may be asked to review and provide feedback on the work of other caregivers.

Essential Functions And Duties:

Performs laboratory analysis of human biological specimens submitted for testing in accordance with laboratory policies, procedures and quality standards. Accurately documents results into the Laboratory Information System. Recognizes reports and documents critical test results in a timely manner.

Ensures that specimens for analysis are appropriate and adequate to provide meaningful results. Recognizes when specimen condition or adequacy may impact test results and exercises professional judgment to reject, request recollection, consult with ordering provider, or perform testing with appended warning comments.

Performs, evaluates and documents quality control, quality assurance, proficiency testing and calibration procedures according to laboratory policies and procedures. Performs additional quality assurance activities when professional judgment identifies a need to confirm the accuracy and/or quality of test results.

Ensures that analytic instruments are properly calibrated and maintained. Performs and documents cleaning, maintenance and troubleshooting of analytic instruments and test systems. Recognizes when a test system is operating in a manner that may compromise the quality or accuracy of testing results and takes appropriate remedial actions.

Reviews and evaluates test results prior to release. Recognizes suspect results based upon laboratory defined criteria, system appended alerts, inconsistency with previous results, inconsistency with patient age/medical condition, or professional judgment.

Takes appropriate remedial steps to ensure the accuracy of suspect results.

Performs all specimen handling, specimen manipulation, reagent preparation, test system maintenance, chemical/biologics handling and testing procedures in a manner that ensures the safety of self and others.

Appropriately refers issues beyond scope of practice to a discipline/sub discipline specialist, supervisor or pathologist.

Performs all duties in a professional and ethical manner and in accordance with all regulatory requirements.

Obtains blood samples via arterial, venous or capillary puncture according to laboratory policies and procedures (site dependent duty).

Within credentialed scope of practice, serves as a resource to medical providers assisting with the selection of appropriate testing, specimen collection and handling, and interpretation of test results.

Consults with clinicians and colleagues in the investigation and identification of possible sources of error or interferences that may impact test performance or compromise test results.

For those disciplines or sub disciplines in which a specialist credential is held, serves as an expert resource to laboratory colleagues, clinicians, and other health care professionals.

Consults and collaborates with professional colleagues to identify and remediate process issues. Participates in efforts to identify opportunities to continuously improve laboratory procedures, processes and services.

Leads or assists in the research, development, evaluation, validation, documentation and implementation of new, improved or expanded testing services.

Delivers customer service and/or patient care in a manner that promotes goodwill, is timely, efficient and accurate.

Supports the vision, mission and values of the organization in all respects.

Supports Value Improvement Practice (VIP- Lean) principles of continuous improvement with energy and enthusiasm, functioning as a champion of change.

Provides and maintains a safe environment for caregivers, patients and guests.

Conducts all activities with the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality. Complies with all applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures, supporting the organization's corporate integrity efforts by acting in an ethical and appropriate manner, reporting known or suspected violation of applicable rules, and cooperating fully with all organizational investigations and proceedings.

May perform additional duties of similar complexity within the organization, as required or assigned.

Education:

Required: Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral degree in a chemical, physical, biological or clinical laboratory science from an accredited college or university.

Licensure/Certification/Registration:

Required: Current national certification or licensure at the Technologist/Scientist level by one or more of the following accredited credentialing agencies: ASCP, AMT, AAB, HEW and California Department of Health Services. Acceptable credentials: MLS (ASCP), MT (ASCP), BB (ASCP), H (ASCP), C (ASCP), M (ASCP), MB (ASCP), SBB (ASCP), SC (ASCP), SM (ASCP), SI (ASCP), MT (AMT), MT (HEW), MT (AAB), CLS.

Experience:

Required: N/A

Preferred: Previous Medical Laboratory Scientist experience.

Personal Protective Equipment:

Must be able to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required to perform the job safely.

Physical Requirements:

Continually (75% or more): Standing and walking, use of clear and audible speaking voice and the ability to hear normal speech level.

Frequently (50%): Sitting, lifting/carrying/pushing or pulling 1-25 pounds. Keyboard operation

Occasionally (25%): Bending, stooping/kneeling/crouching, climbing ladder/step-stool (varies by area), reaching overhead, lifting/carrying/pushing or pulling 25-50 pounds, grasping/squeezing, ability to hear whispered speech level.

Rarely (10%): Climbing stairs.

Never (0%): Climbing ladder/step-stool (varies by area), operation of a motor vehicle.

Exposure to Elemental Factors

Rarely (10%): Cold, wet/slippery area, chemical solution.

Never (0%): Heat, noise, dust, vibration, uneven surface.

Blood-Borne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Category

Risk for Exposure to BBP