Clinical Lab Assistant/Phlebotomist

Description

IT'S SIMPLE. You want to work in a healthcare setting where you are valued and appreciated - where you receive respect from your superiors and co-workers as well as the patients/residents you treat. You want to be challenged by your job without being overwhelmed by it. You want to play an instrumental role in helping a patient recover, sometimes against strong odds, and go home. What you want is Kindred Healthcare. Our mission is to promote healing, provide hope, preserve dignity and produce value for each patient, resident, family member, customer, employee and shareholder we serve. Join us!

Summary:

Clinical Laboratory Assistants (CLAs) perform duties in the laboratory that are above the complexity level of a phlebotomist, but not yet to the level of a medical laboratory technician. They are to collect specimens, do specimen processing, perform limited waived laboratory testing, assist technicians and technologists with maintenance and reagent preparation, plate samples for microbiology, and perform preparation of specimens for testing from alternative laboratory sources.

Essential Functions:

• Verifies test requisitions by comparing information with nursing station log; bringing discrepancies to the attention of unit personnel
• Verifies patient by reading patient identification. Obtains blood specimens by performing venipunctures and fingersticks
• Maintains specimen integrity by using aseptic technique, following department procedures; observing isolation procedures
• Collects therapeutic drug-monitoring assays by collaborating with nursing personnel to ensure appropriate drug dose to collection time
• Tracks collected specimens by initialing, dating, and noting times of collection; maintaining daily tallies of collections performed
• Maintains quality results by following department procedures and testing schedule; recording results in the quality-control log; identifying and reporting needed changes
• Maintains safe, secure, and healthy work environment by following standards and procedures; complying with legal regulations
• Resolves unusual test orders by contacting the physician, pathologist, nursing station, or laboratory testing personnel; referring unresolved orders back to the originator for further clarification; notifying supervisor of unresolved orders
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations
• Serves and protects the hospital community by adhering to professional standards, hospital policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and TJC standards
• Enhances phlebotomy department and hospital reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments
• Assists with laboratory clerical work. Answers phones, receives specimens and performs pre-analytical preparation for samples including send-outs
• Coordinates and actively enhances laboratory workflow by loading instruments, setting up plates, and performing waived testing per laboratory procedures. Performs pending log resolution. Calls critical values to actionable care providers
  
  

Salary Range: $17.34 - $26.01

Qualifications

Education: Minimum of a High School diploma or Equivalent

Licenses/Certification: PBT (ASCP) or MLA (AMT) strongly preferred but not required

Experience: 0-3 years

Skills: Analyzing Information , Infection Control, Bedside Manner, Attention to Detail, Lab Environment, Procedural Skills, Quality Focus, Hospital Environment, Creating a Safe, Effective Environment, Performing Diagnostic Procedures, Informing Others

• Adheres to dress code, appearance is neat and clean and wears appropriate identification while on duty
• Completes annual health, safety, and education requirements. Maintains professional growth and development
• Maintains confidentiality of all patient and/or employee information to assure patient and/or employee rights are protected
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and the skills necessary to provide age appropriate care to the patient population served
• Reports to work on time as scheduled; adheres to policies regarding notification of absence
• Attends all mandatory in-services and staff meetings
• Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner
• Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices
• Communicates the mission, ethics, and goals of the hospital, as well as the focus statement of the department
• Maintains current licensure/certification for position, if applicable
• Consistently demonstrates Guest Relation’s skills to patients, physicians, visitors, employees, and any other individuals with whom they may come in contact
• Consistently follows departmental and hospital Health, Safety, Security, Hazardous Materials policies and procedures
• HIPAA: Conduct job responsibilities in accordance with HIPAA privacy laws, follow hospital policy in provision of patient confidentiality. Able to identify patient confidentiality issues and reports to proper hospital personnel immediately
• Compliance: Conducts job responsibilities in accordance with standards set forth in Kindred’s Code of Conduct, Kindred policy and procedures, applicable federal and state laws, and applicable standards
  
  

Service Excellence Elements

Pride – (Owning and feeling proud of work quality and our mission.)

Performs work that reflects ownership and is a credit to self and positively represents Kindred.

Teamwork – (Achieving greater results through cooperation and recognizing contributions.)

Cooperates with co-workers while performing duties leading to everyone being able to achieve success and giving recognition where it is due.

Compassion – (Listening and focusing on the patient/resident; taking sincere, appropriate actions.)

Meets the patients’ needs and concerns by consistently acting in a patient-focused manner.

Integrity – (Doing the right thing.)

Demonstrates adherence to a strict moral or ethical code in performance of duties by always seeking to do the right thing.

Respect – (Treating others as they would like to be treated; valuing others.)

Acknowledges the worth of others through professional greetings, proper telephone etiquette, patience, and common courtesy.

Fun – (Enjoying work and being an enthusiastic participant.)

Demonstrates a positive attitude toward work and devotion to the task at hand.

Professionalism – (Assuring skills (licensures) are current; looking and acting the part while performing at the highest level.)

Keeps skills, competencies and required licensures/certifications current; displays mastery over attitude and behavior and pride in appearance. Consistently performs duties to the best of abilities.

Responsibility – (Being accountable, doing what is expected or beyond; assuring what needs to get done, gets done.)

Takes ownership of all aspects of duties shown through reliable, timely performance and accountability.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills