POSITION SUMMARY

A Medical Technologist is responsible for conducting laboratory tests which provide information to physicians for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of diseases in patients.

Essential Functions:
• Promotes the mission, vision, and values of the organization. Exhibits and adheres to WMC’s Standards of Performance in all areas of job duties and responsibilities.
• Participates in hospital initiatives and in departmental goals set by the Laboratory Director and staff.
• Interacts professionally with laboratory management, laboratory personnel, physicians, hospital personnel, patients and customers to provide optimal patient care.
• Works well with other laboratory employees to maintain an environment of teamwork.
• Exercises all laboratory safety precautions and adheres OSHA and TOSHA safety regulations
• Positively identifies patients, labels specimens and enters results using two unique identifiers. Maintains working knowledge of laboratory policies and procedures.
• Maintains current knowledge and adheres to hospital policies and state, federal and other regulatory requirements
• Responds appropriately to tests with a priority of STAT, call results or timed specimens
• Responsible for training new employees and students as assigned.
• Performs high-complexity testing
• Notifies nursing and/or physician of critical lab values with complete documentation on report
• Responsible for instrument calibrations, maintenance and troubleshooting problems.
• Performs quality control as outlined by departmental procedures.
• Reviews pending and outstanding reports and resolves outstanding specimens
• Other duties as needed/assigned.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Formal Education / Training:
• BS degree in Medical Technology, Medical Laboratory Science or equivalent
• Valid State of Tennessee Medical Technologist license

Workplace Experience:
• Laboratory experience preferred
• Meditech experience preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Knowledge of medical laboratory science
• Strong organizational skills and interpersonal skills
• Ability to determine appropriate course of action in more complex situations
• Ability to work independently, be attentive to detail and maintain a positive attitude
• Ability to manage multiple and simultaneous responsibilities and to prioritize scheduling of work
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of all medical, financial and legal information
• Ability to complete work assignments accurately and in a timely manner
• Ability to handle difficult situations involving patients, physicians, or others in a professional manner
• Strong computer skills

Physical Environment:
• Exposure to blood and body fluids, infectious and contagious diseases, chemicals.
• Ability to communicate in English verbally and in writing.
• Ability to perform multi-functional tasks.
• Ability to read computer screen, distinguish color, hear phone and conduct interpersonal communications
• Ability to learn, reason and perform mathematical calculations related to job.
• Ability to use critical thinking skills.
• Requires light to moderate work with 40 pounds maximum weight to lift and carry.
• Manual dexterity and mobility in both hands; exposed to repetitive motion.
• Frequent reaching, bending, stooping, kneeling, and crouching.
• Requires prolonged standing and walking
• Flexibility to shift schedule, work extra hours or overtime as needed by staffing deficits or high patient volumes

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Works well with Management:
• Communicates potential issues in a timely manner
• Follows through on work assignments
• Communicates opportunities for improvement in a positive way
• Accepts reassignments as needed

Participates in departmental meetings and process improvement teams (laboratory or hospital, if applicable).
• In-services reviewed and signed before due date

Motivated – takes initiative for work that needs to be done
• Helps section head with instrument correlations/quality control range establishment
• Performs maintenance without being asked or as assigned
• Follows through with incomplete report and documents on lead tech board without reminder
• Seeks out new tasks when work in area is done/caught up
• Floats to needed areas

Positively identifies patients and specimens

Corrected reports that could affect outcome of patient kept to a minimum

Technical errors kept to a minimum (procedure not followed correctly – may affect patient care)

Follows laboratory policies and procedures regarding:
• Testing
• Quality Control
• Instrument maintenance and troubleshooting

Turn Around Time within acceptable time criteria for ER patients. Average time from Collected to Resulted:
• <20 minutes
• 20 – 30 minutes
• >30 minutes

Follows Hospital and Laboratory Policies on the use of Electronic Devices:
• Cell phones kept on vibrate
• Phones/Electronic/Headphones devices used during break/meal times only
• Does not use personal phones in patient care areas
• Uses the hospital internet for work purposes only

Adheres to WMC Lab Attendance policy
• Tardies/Absences kept to a minimum
• Rarely misses time punches in API
• Submits requests for PTO within policy guidelines
• Does not take extended lunches
• Takes appropriate breaks as dictated by workload

Turns out accurate laboratory results
• Checks specimen integrity
• Uses critical thinking skills when reporting results
• Troubleshoots problems related to laboratory values

Provides effective communication
• Communicates problems/issues/concerns to lead tech
• Communicates problems/issues/concerns at shift change to co-worker
• Communicates testing delays to appropriate personnel
• Reads e-mail and communication logs during each work day.