Lab Technical Assistant
Billings Clinic

Job Info

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You can make a difference as a part of our region's largest health care system, based locally in Billings, Montana. Join our amazing team with a focus on safe, high quality care and an excellent patient experience. Billings Clinic is here to take care of our community and region.

We look forward to meeting you.

About Us
Billings Clinic is a community-owned, not-for-profit, Physician-led health system based in Billings with more than 4,700 employees, including over 550 physicians and non-physician providers. Our integrated organization consists of a multi-specialty group practice and a 304-bed hospital. Learn more about Billings Clinic (our organization, history, mission, leadership and regional locations) and how we are recognized nationally for our exceptional quality.

Your Benefits
We provide a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to all full-time employees (minimum of 24 hours/week), including Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer matching, Defined Contribution Pension Plan, Paid Time Off, employee wellness program, and much more. Click here for more information or download the 2021 Employee Benefits Guide.

Magnet: Commitment to Nursing Excellence
Billings Clinic is proud to be recognized for nursing excellence as a Magnet®-designated organization, joining only 97 other organizations worldwide that have achieved this honor four times. The re-designation process happens every four years.  Click here to learn more!

Lab Technical Assistant

LAB-GENERAL (Billings Clinic Main Campus)

req1726

 

Shift:  Varies

Schedule:  M-F, Various hours

Employment Status:  Full-Time (.75 or greater)

Hours per Pay Period:  1.00 = 80 hours (Non-Exempt)

Starting Wage DOE

Under general supervision, the incumbent in this position will work in one or more of the primary areas within the Laboratory Department to include Processing, Cytology, Histology, Microbiology, Blood Bank, Hematology, Chemistry and/or Inventory Control. Responsible to assist Laboratory Staff in accordance with established procedures for specimen receipt and testing. Performs laboratory duties as instructed by Laboratory Leadership. ## Additional characteristics for the Lead Role: Acts as a lead for an assigned area of department, including assisting with the day to day operations of the department, responsible for quality control and regulatory readiness of department.

Essential Job Functions

* GENERAL
Supports and models behaviors consistent with Billings Clinic's mission, vision, values, code of business conduct and service expectations. Meets all mandatory organizational and departmental requirements. Maintains competency in all organizational, departmental and outside agency standards as it relates to the environment, employee, patient safety or job performance.
* Laboratory Technical Assistant - Level I Responsibilities
Processes and accessions samples according to established policies and procedures.
Assists with inventory management including stocking, ordering and monitoring to ensure adequate supplies to meet business needs within the assigned section of the laboratory (Cytology, Histology, Processing, Sendouts, Hematology, Microbiology, Blood Bank, etc.)
Performs waived laboratory testing and specimen processing within scope of practice.
Provides administrative/clerical support for the departments including maintaining accurate record systems, requisitions, quality control data, patient results, and workflow documentation. Understands and demonstrates appropriate communication of Private Health Information.
Assist pathologists and physicians, including collecting and transporting specimens, preparation of bone marrow specimens and/or fine needle aspiration/fine needle biopsies, preparing slides, maintaining integrity of specimens, and disposal of specimens according to procedure.
Answers multi-line telephones and responds to the majority of all incoming calls before transferring to alternate resources. Responds to questions from patients, physicians and other reference labs and provides routine information, collection and testing procedures, specimen processing, turn around times, result reporting and reference lab availability. Also responds to non-routine questions regarding what steps need to be taken to rectify a situation when the integrity of a sample/specimen has been compromised.
Facilitates result reporting. Results may be called to physician's office, faxed or mailed depending on orders and situation.
Monitors all label printers and fax machines for incoming orders. Responsible for ensuring printers and faxes are maintained in good working order due to the critical nature of information being received. Acts as a resource in resolving printer and fax related function problems, maintenance and form loading.
Responsible for checking and verifying the integrity/quality of the specimens to ensure appropriate specimen volumes, packaging, etc. Assumes responsibility for initiating follow-up action necessary to prevent and/or resolve problem scenarios and coordinates as appropriate with other departments, management, etc.
Coordinates specimen mail-outs to reference laboratories. Duties include decisions regarding how to draw sample/specimen, timing of draw, appropriate preparation of the sample/specimen, timing of mailing, selecting appropriate reference lab for processing as outlined in laboratory policies and procedures and tracking and planning the appropriate transportation mode.
Maintains inventory management including order entry in Lawson, stocking and monitoring to ensure adequate supplies to meet the business needs for all areas within the Laboratory department and reference laboratory. Uses the correct cost center and General Ledger numbers.
Dispatches and monitors the phlebotomy staff to maintain efficient response and turnaround times on hospital specimen orders.
Receives specimens from the laboratory runners, phlebotomy staff, pneumatic tube system and external clients. Utilizes judgment to determine if sample/specimen is appropriate for testing according to established guidelines or if a redraw will be necessary. Initiates specimen preparation and processing. Utilizes appropriate equipment (i.e. track system, centrifuge), prepares spin-offs, aliquots, cassettes, blocks and slides and distributes to the appropriate area of the laboratory for final processing. Monitors printers for STAT orders from the nursing units.
Responsible for set-up, basic maintenance and records of work stations; filling staining stations, imagers, cleaning work areas, emptying garbage, cleaning of track, checking temperatures of refrigerators and freezers, cleaning of centrifuges, monitoring courier contact points, creating cassettes, changing fluids and paraffin, etc.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

*Billings Clinic policy and procedures, both organizational and departmental
*Personal computers, hardware and software
*Microsoft Office programs (i.e., Windows, Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.) and office procedures
*MS4, Misys, MayoAccess and Cerner
*Detailed laboratory testing components and requirements
*Billings Clinic Courier services and other transportation modes for specimens
*Medical, chemical and biological terminology
*HIPAA/confidentiality rights
*Billings Clinic Code of Business Conduct
*Billings Clinic Corporate Compliance Program
*Instrument maintenance
*Infection control procedures and personal protective equipment
*Hazardous materials
*Science, chemistry and mathematics
*Customer service techniques and Personal Service Excellence (PSE) skills
*Patient safety standards
*Laboratory Technical Assistant III and Lead
Leadership principles and practices
*Professional communication skills, both verbal and written
*Utilization of midrange computer systems and software applications for data entry and retrieval
*Technical skills regarding sample types, anticoagulants, testing stabilities, methodologies, interpretation of test results, etc.
*Paying close attention to the details of receiving, processing and mail-out requirements for all specimens to ensure the quality and integrity of the specimens and to ensure adherence to established policies and procedures; identify non-compliance and initiate appropriate corrective action
*Operating laboratory equipment as it relates to specimen processing and mail-out services
*Prioritize work assignments (i.e., routine, STAT and Timed)
*Applying infection control standards and guidelines for handling infectious materials and for disposal of all contaminated specimens
*Laboratory Technical Assistant III
Conflict resolution
Application of leadership principles and practices
Providing training/education for point of care duties
*Incorporate population specific needs into all aspects of communication and patient care; scope of service will encompass age groups ranging from infant through geriatric
*Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbal and written
*Establish and maintain collaborative relationships
*Perform consistently with high levels of accuracy
*Work with frequent interruptions, time deadlines, high volumes and difficult patients
*Work collaboratively with members of the laboratory and organization to improve organizational outcomes
*Anticipate the needs of internal and external customers with empathy and understanding
*Recognize confidentiality is an ethical, moral and legal responsibility; accesses and discloses information on a need to know basis
*Identify the differences in specimen tubes, including the ability to differentiate between colors.
*Concentrate fully on the task at hand and be meticulous with accuracy and consistency
*Laboratory Technical Assistant III and Lead
Apply leadership principles and practices, assign workloads to meet business needs, and provide education/training for point of care services
*Complexity & Difficulty
Errors in specimen preparation or conducting analysis could result in poor quality tests which could negatively impact the quality of patient care
*Position requires high levels of critical thinking to ensure that each specimen/sample meets and adheres to the established specimen protocols and processing procedures.
*Errors in conducting waived procedures, specimen processing of waived tests and radiographs could result in poor quality tests which could negatively impact the quality of patient care. Performs in an environment where problems are many and diverse and which requires fast, unique and creative solutions. Capable of making decisions and sound judgments within the established policies and procedures to ensure the quality and integrity of the services rendered. The magnitude and variety of independent problems increase the complexity.
*Must maintain customer service focus in all situations (i.e., clients, reference laboratories, pathologists, technical support) establishing credibility, trust and rapport
*Position requires knowledge and experience with hundreds of reference tests including: accredited laboratory requirements, specimen types, collection tubes and anticoagulants, analytic testing time and clinical information.
*Failure to maintain safety standards may result in illness or injury to the employee and/or patients
*Approximately one to two months of on-the-job training required in order to become familiar with full scope of responsibilities.
*Responsible to operate within scope of practice

Minimum Qualifications
Education

• High School or GED
• Advanced education in areas of science, chemistry and mathematics normally acquired through college level courses preferre
  

Experience

* Prior laboratory or health care experience preferred
* Or an equivalent combination of education and experience relating to the above, tasks, knowledge, skills or abilities will be considered

Billings Clinic is Montana's largest health system serving Montana, Wyoming and the western Dakotas. A not-for-profit organization led by a physician CEO, the health system is governed by a board of community members, nurses and physicians. Billings Clinic includes an integrated multi-specialty group practice, tertiary care hospital and trauma center, based in Billings, Montana. Learn more at www.billingsclinic.com/aboutus

Billings Clinic is committed to being an inclusive andwelcoming employer, that strives to be kind, safe, and courageous in all we do.As an equal opportunity employer, our policies and processes are designed toachieve fair and equitable treatment of all employees and job applicants. Allemployees and job applicants will be provided the same treatment in all aspectsof the employment relationship, regardless of race, color, religion, sex,gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy and familystatus, national origin, spoken language, neurodiversity, age, and/or disability.To ensure we provide an accessible candidate experience for prospectiveemployees, please let us know if you need any accommodations during therecruitment process.

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