Lab Support Services Specialist - Lagrange, GA

Wellstar Laboratory Technician

Under the supervision of the Laboratory Manager or designee, performs technical and non-technical duties within the Laboratory service areas on the hospital campus. Duties included, but not limited to:

• HIS/LIS data entry, troubleshooting and laboratory technical support functions.
• Customer service for all patients and health care providers.
• Specimen receipt and processing including preparing specimens for transport to reference labs, microbiology processing, loading samples on lab automation and preparing samples for the technical staff.
• Phlebotomy procedures including all types of specimen collection techniques.
• Pre-analytical and specimen storage robot operation.
• Assist in multiple areas as workload and staffing changes.

Core responsibilities and essential functions:

• Prepare and maintain phlebotomy tray with all supplies required to perform duties.
• Perform phlebotomy in accordance with Wellstar's patient identification, confidentiality, safety and infection control guidelines with appropriate care given to PPE, sharps disposal and hand washing.
• Collects quality blood specimens both venous and capillary for processing, minimum venipunctures 10/hour.
• Critically review each collection list to minimize the number of times a patient is collected by searching for and canceling duplicate orders and combining orders that can be collected together within lab guidelines or after RN approval. Question orders that seem repetitive or unusual.
• Identifies patient using two patient identifiers before drawing blood and informs nursing of any missing or incorrect arm bands of the time.
• Complies with Blood Culture and Blood Bank specimen collection procedures and specimen handling requirements.
• Confirms the patient has been left in a secure position, tourniquet removed and puncture wound has clotted before leaving patient of the time.
• Delivers specimens to the Laboratory with specified timeframe.
• Resolves unreceived specimen pending log in LIS. Pull acceptable samples if possible
• Complies with AIDET standards always
• Communicate effectively and courteously with all outpatients, visitors and hospital personnel as they arrive in the lab or when on patient care areas, making a good, competent impression our priority.
• Maintains patient privacy and confidentiality always.
• Receive incoming calls; resolve or route as appropriate.
• Resolve patient / patient care provider complaints; understand when to refer to supervisor.
• Provide patient test results to patient care providers via printed reports, fax or verbal communication.
• Maintain organized files for physician orders, reference lab reports, other lab reports, as needed.
• Make follow-up calls to patients, patient care providers concerning problem specimens, recollects.
• Perform call back function for critical and notification values.
• Check all specimens arriving in the lab for sufficient quality and quantity.
• Cancel unacceptable specimens after notifying RN and documenting in the LIS.
• Centrifuge, decant or split specimens as needed; combine orders as needed. Take to the testing areas in a timely fashion. Pull samples as needed for lab pending lists.
• Measure and aliquot 24 hr urine samples and enter required information in the LIS.
• Via tracking and pending logs, prepare specimens for transport to reference labs.
• Check accuracy of outpatient orders and resolve discrepancies, correcting orders as needed.
• Check physician, drop off specimen and Home Health orders for accuracy in HIS/LIS.
• Processing microbiology specimens (plating/preparation and preparing gram stains)
• HIS / LIS order entry. Able to work in multiple computer systems as needed to perform job functions. Use critical thinking skills and lab knowledge to resolve patient orders and irretrievable samples.
• Report and troubleshoot HIS/LIS, printer, fax malfunctions.
• Organize specimen intake in various downtime scenarios and recovery from same.
• Assist with inventory control. Maintain organization of laboratory storage areas.
• Restock consumables in the phlebotomy, clerical areas, store room and laboratory.
• Perform QA checks on refrigerators, freezers as required.
• Assists in orientation and training of new employees as assigned.
• Check emails daily in Sunquest.
• Completes all assigned training and competency testing within specified time periods.
• Participates in staff meetings and reads posted meeting minutes.
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Complies with all Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.

Required minimum education:

• High School Diploma General or GED General Required

Required minimum license(s) and certification(s):

• BLS - Basic Life Support or ARC-BLS - Amer Red Cross Basic Life Support or BLS-I - Basic Life Support - Instructor

Additional license(s) and certification(s):

• Phlebotomy Certification by a national organization Upon Hire Preferred

Required minimum experience:

• Experience in either phlebotomy and / or specimen processing in an outpatient or hospital laboratory environment Preferred

Required minimum skills:

• Strong written and verbal communication, customer service, multi-tasking and organizational skills, professionalism, detail and team-oriented, data entry, typing 40 wpm and working computer knowledge.

Join us and discover the support to do more meaningful work—and enjoy a more rewarding life. Connect with the most integrated health system in Georgia, and start a future that gives you more.