Histotechnologist

Job Description

Job Description

Job Summary

Implements the goals of the department by providing professional services, including performance of clinical laboratory examinations, quality control, instrument maintenance and evaluation, test management, supplies inventory and other functions necessary to the attainment of section goals.

Essential Functions 

General Laboratory

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.

• Reviews all hospital and departmental policies and procedures annually.

• Participates in staff meetings.

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• Properly discards outdated material.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.

• Ensures all reagents/QC material is annotated when opened.

Infection Control Procedures

• Refers to and implements the EOGH Infection Control Policy.

• Uses proper PPE during laboratory testing.

• Uses proper technique for disposing of sharps, infectious and regulated medical waste.

• Disinfects and cleans work benches/areas before and after tour of duty according to protocol.

• Uses proper technique for managing blood and chemical spills.

• Demonstrates proper hand washing technique.

• Describes procedures for managing a needle stick or blood borne pathogen exposure. 

• Demonstrates proper technique for:

  • Adding or removing microtome blades and disposing in sharps container

  • Proper handling of specimens to identify, label and store

  • Disposal of regulated pathological waste

  • Disposal of hazardous chemical waste

  • Proper cleaning of contaminated/infectious cryostat

  • Collecting and transporting renal biopsy specimen

  • Shipping out surgical specimens

• Follows standard operating procedure for changing /rotating 100% alcohol, 95%alcohol, and other solutions for the tissue processor, H&E strainers, and special stain deparafinization/hydration station.

Telephone Courtesy & Customer Service

• Politely answers the telephone and transfers calls appropriately.

• Answers phone within 4 rings.

• Accurately takes messages and delivers to appropriate individuals promptly.

• Ensures patient confidentiality at all times.

• Practices proper protocol for TORB.

• Accurately and professionally conveys patient results to inquiring authorized physicians and patient care representatives.

• Maintains professional composure and confidence during stressful situations.

• Will access and respond to e-mail and voice messages in a timely manner.

Specimen Collection

• Accepts or rejects specimens based on evaluation being aware that special criteria exist for irretrievable specimens .

• Ensures proper specimen identification correct before accepting (i.e. account number, medical record number, prefix, and name).

Specimen Collection

• Performs specimen rejection procedures according to protocol.

• Contacts clinic for problem specimens and annotates in specimen rejection book.

• Follows through with problem specimens.

• If received fresh, calls resident on “frozen” to evaluate before adding any fixative if needed.

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.

Endorsements

• Accurately documents endorsements to the covering histotechnologist.

• Acknowledges endorsements from the previous staff.

• Follows through with colleagues and supervisor outstanding issues.

Histopathology Laboratory

Grossing

• Verifies specimen information on request forms correlates to information on specimen container and logbook before signing for acceptance.

• Maintains positive identification when labeling cassettes, request form and placing labels on specimen containers.

• Notifies “frozen” staff and resident when specimen received fresh for frozen section or other specialized study (i.e. cytogentics,  etc.).

• Keeps cryostats clean and frozen section area clean and stocked.

• Records and document cryostat temperature and maintenance logs.

• Maintains stock supply for grossing area.

• Keeps supervisor and Chief Director informed of the specimens received and problem specimen before specimen is sent back to clinic.

Embedding

• Ensures forceps, embedding areas and molds are cleaned to prevent cross contamination. Keeps pathologist informed of discrepancies.

• Embeds 50-60 blocks/hr. orienting so as to demonstrate structures appropriate to the specimen and for ease in sectioning.

• Wipes forceps on gauze sponge between each block to keep cross contamination from occurring.

• Check worksheet against blocks to ensure all blocks are accounted for and verify count against gross description.

Embedding

• Notifies supervisor when blocks are missing.

• Maintains patient identification while embedding. Re-marking numbers when rubbed off.

Microtomy

• Produces tissue sections which are without wrinkles, tearing, or compression.

• Maintains positive identification of tissue structure (i.e. vas deferens, fallopian tubes, etc.).

• Maintains positive identification when transferring block number to slide (patient accession identification number).

• Uses microtome blades safely when removing or adding to microtome.

• Continuously cleans water bath using Kim Wipes while sectioning to keep from getting cross contamination of other tissue samples.

Special Stains

• Takes the necessary corrective action if tissue is not correctly differentiated or stained to prevent an incorrect diagnosis.

• Produces stains of high quality.

• Prepares stains & reagents accurately using balance scale & pH meter.

• Evaluates Positive Control Slide.

• Takes corrective action if tissue components not stained or differentiated accurately.

• Documents QC of Known Positive Control Slides in Q.C. logbook.

• Maintains biohazard labels of all new or working solutions prepared.

Final Preparation

• Ensures all slides are labeled accurately before distribution to make sure the right diagnosis is given to the right patient .

• Coverslips & labels slides without air bubbles or excessive mounting media.

• Labels accurately.

• Checks off slides turned in and records information pertaining to pending slides (i.e. decal, washed off, etc.) and informs pathologist.

• For special stains, must have date test preformed written on label of both patient slide and control slide.

• Quality Control logbooks will be maintained at all times.

• Performs clerical duties (ordering supplies etc.) as needed for the histology and cytology sections.

• Files (slides and blocks) are maintained in a current manner.

• Required to perform duties in the cytology area depending on the scope of section

Morgue Duties

• Checks morgue refrigerator’s temperature daily and documents results in log.

• If autopsy will be performed prepare folder with necessary forms:

• authorization for autopsy

• Release of remains form

• Preliminary Report of Autopsy

• Weights and Measures

• Autopsy sections Diagram

• Label cassettes.

• Prepare gross bucket and brain container.

• Set-up two red biohazard bags (one for contaminated trash and the other for organs).

• Assist pathologist.

• Take all necessary precautions.

• Place organs back in body cavity, place chest plate on top of organs and sew body closed.

• Wash and disinfect area thoroughly before housekeeping cleans autopsy suite. 

Quality Control

• Performs and documents daily quality control and maintenance.

• Notifies pathologist of discrepancies in staining quality or differentiation and problem equipment.

Equipment

• Describes the capabilities, limitations and special applications of each item of equipment.  

• Demonstrates basic operating and safety procedures for equipment items.  .

• Reports routine problems with equipment.  

• Identifies emergency procedures in the event of equipment failure.  

• Describes the process for reporting user errors and/or patient incidents.

• Maintains a complete record of all routine and emergency repairs and preventive maintenance on all equipment.

Other Duties

• Participates in Service Improvement projects.

• Performs other duties as requested.

Minimum Education/Certifications
Associate’s degree with specialized training in special area, ASCP preferred ( NOTE: Associate degree requirement may be waived by department manager, and/or pathologist if appropriately licensed, and depending on the amount and type of experience and certification held.).

Must have the ability to operate microtome and all other equipment in department, assist with frozen sections – cryostat and stains, process tissue and cytology specimens, embed tissue specimens,  prepare cytospin and stain them accordingly, perform decalcification techniques, assist in the aspiration  of  fine needle,  and organize section efficiently.

Must be proficient in cell block techniques and have an extensive knowledge of special stains.

Minimum Work Experience
Minimum (12) twelve months of experience as histologic technician or completion of the 12 month Histology training.

Routine duties involve primarily laboratory-related conditions

Daily functions may include incidental exposure to vapors, fumes, moving mechanical parts, electrical shock, chemical and biological hazards, patient contact, needles/syringes, waste handling 

Most functions require use of protective gear such as face shields, gloves, and fluid – resistant coats

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: $42/hr-$45/hr

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:

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee Assistance Program
401(k)
Paid Holidays and a generous Paid Time Off Plan