Histotechnologist I

Job Title

Working hours for this role is 4pm- 12:30pm, Monday - Friday.

General Summary of Position

Responsible for the preparation and preservation of surgical tissue specimens and cytopathology specimens submitted to the laboratory for gross examination, fixation, embedding, sectioning, and staining before submission to the pathologists for microscopic examination and diagnosis. Prepares routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and special stains necessary for the microscopic diagnosis of surgical specimens, assists in the surgical pathology grossing area, and participates in the general maintenance of the histopathology laboratory.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Specimen Testing and Preparation

• Performs the processing of surgical specimens for testing and examination, including embedding, sectioning, staining, coverslipping, and labeling.
• Completes the processing of surgical specimens received in the assigned laboratory section for testing and examination, as outlined in the training and/or competency assessment documentation.
• Performs patient care testing on assigned specimens without supervision and/or director review for specimen processing, test performance, or result reporting, unless otherwise specified and documented in the competency assessment or testing procedure.
• Utilizes judgment and discretion when considering sample integrity, process calibration, reagent concentration and stability, quality control results in relation to unknown results, evaluation of unexpected patient results, and error identification.
• Obtains surgical specimens, prepares frozen sections, mixes fixatives, decalcifiers, and other solutions, and labels cassettes.
• Performs routine H&E, special stains, and enzyme staining on surgical and cytological specimens, including STAT biopsies (e.g., heart, kidney, and liver), for review by pathologists for clinical diagnosis.
• Evaluates specimen integrity and acceptability for test performance and obtains specimens for quantitative and qualitative analyses.
• Accessions specimens received in the laboratory using the laboratory information system.
• Utilizes the computer appropriately for quality control, specimen inquiries, and patient inquiries.

Quality Control

• Performs and documents quality control according to manufacturer specifications, laboratory specifications, and/or regulatory requirements.
• Initiates corrective action and notifies the supervisor of quality control problems.
• Reviews the section's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) manual and ensures testing practices align with SOP guidelines.

Quality Assurance, Regulatory Compliance, and Safety

• Completes competency assessments within 90 days of hire and annually thereafter, or as needed to meet all regulatory requirements.
• Assists the supervisor with regulatory requests and/or inspections as needed.
• Works collaboratively with coworkers to ensure the laboratory meets or exceeds all safety requirements, including, but not limited to, maintaining temperature charts, equipment logs, control materials, laboratory cleanliness, and transporting hazardous waste to the department's designated pickup area.

Customer Service

• Complies with departmental customer service standards, including answering the phone within three rings, identifying oneself to callers or customers in person, and promptly attending to customer needs.
• Ensures turnaround time standards are met within the laboratory section.
• Maintains a positive image when interacting with individuals outside the laboratory.
• Proactively provides assistance to other departments when needed.

Equipment Maintenance and Inventory

• Maintains equipment logs and performs routine calibration and preventive maintenance on instruments and equipment in accordance with established guidelines.
• Proactively contacts vendors and the supervisor when equipment service is needed.
• Helps maintain an adequate stock of supplies as requested.
• Assists in the evaluation of new procedures and equipment as requested.

General Laboratory Responsibilities

• Maintains files for patient specimens (blocks and slides), reports, and other quality control materials as needed.
• Completes patient test billing as needed.
• Delivers surgical tissues, stained slides, and supplies as needed to and from Surgical Pathology, MDL Labs, Cytology, the Morgue, and pathologists.
• Proactively reviews pending logs to ensure patient care tests are not missed, results are reported correctly, and turnaround time standards are met.
• Participates in continuing education.
• Provides training to others as assigned by the Laboratory Supervisor, Laboratory Manager, Administrative Director, Laboratory Director, or equivalent.

Patient Safety, Privacy, and Regulatory Standards

• Observes Joint Commission (JC) standards, patient safety initiatives, Patient Rights, and HIPAA privacy standards.
• Follows care documentation and cleanliness standards in the performance of job duties.
• Completes in-service training and educational requirements in a timely manner.
• Completes continuing education requirements for recertification, as required by certifying organizations (ASCP/NCA, ABHI, or local licensure).
• Prioritizes patient safety during the performance of duties, makes improvements or corrections when safety issues arise, and notifies the department manager as required.
• Interacts with team members, both within the unit and in other units, in an appropriate and proactive manner to benefit patients.
• Observes proper elevator etiquette and courtesy by smiling and speaking to patients and visitors, refraining from discussing patient care, keeping voice levels low, and giving patients and visitors the right-of-way.
• Keeps all patient information strictly confidential.
• Never discusses patient information or hospital business in public areas.
• Protects patient privacy in public areas.
• Adheres to all Joint Commission and GUH Patient Rights standards.

Additional Responsibilities

• Performs other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the position and department.
• The responsibilities listed above provide a general description of the level and nature of work assigned to this classification and are not intended to be all-inclusive.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree required, preferably in Medical Laboratory Science or a related field.

Experience

• One to two years of laboratory experience preferred.

Licenses and Certifications

• Histotechnologist (HTL) certification through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to meet expectations related to the purpose of the position and satisfactorily perform each essential function.
• The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, education, experience, and/or abilities necessary to perform this position successfully.
• Demonstrates considerable and current knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of clinical laboratory science.
• Demonstrates the ability to apply technical knowledge accurately when performing complex tests.
• Possesses strong problem-solving skills and the ability to assess the accuracy of test results.

This position has a hiring range of USD $35.68 - USD $64.71 /Hr.