Clinical Lab Specialist- Day Shift

JOB PURPOSE OR MISSION : Provides advanced technical skills necessary to perform phlebotomy procedures. Collects specimens, prepares specimens for the laboratory, and maintains accurate medical records of specimens.

Responsible for performing phlebotomy duties in the collection of blood samples through the use of skin puncture and venipuncture.

Adheres to all procedures for collecting laboratory specimens. Performs job for the age population served, as defined in the department’s scope of service.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

CRITERIA A : Everyday Excellence Values - Employee demonstrates Everyday Excellence values in the day-to-day performance of their job.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Demonstrates courtesy and caring to each other, patients and their families, physicians, and the community.
• Takes initiative in living our Everyday Excellence values and vital signs.
• Takes initiative in identifying customer needs before the customer asks.
• Participates in teamwork willingly and with enthusiasm.
• Demonstrates respect for the dignity and privacy needs of customers through personal action and attention to the environment of care.
• Keeps customers informed, answers customer questions and anticipates information needs of customers.

CRITERIA B : Corporate Compliance - Employee demonstrates commitment to the Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest Guidelines, and the GHS Corporate Compliance Guidelines.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Practices diligence in fulfilling the regulatory and legal requirements of the position and department.
• Maintains accurate and reliable patient / organizational records.
• Maintains professional relationships with appropriate officials; communicates honesty and completely; behaves in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner in all professional contacts.

CRITERIA C : Personal Achievement - Employee demonstrates initiative in achieving work goals and meeting personal objectives .

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Uses accepted procedures and practices to complete assignments. Uses creative and proactive solutions to achieve objectives even when workload and demands are high.
• Adheres to high moral principles of honesty, loyalty, sincerity, and fairness.
• Upholds the ethical standards of the organization.

CRITERIA D : Performance Improvement - Employee actively participates in Performance Improvement activities and incorporates quality improvement standards in his / her job performance.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Optimizes talents, skills, and abilities in achieving excellence in meeting and exceeding customer expectations.
• Initiates or redesigns to continuously improve work processes.
• Contributes ideas and suggestions to improve approaches to work processes.
• Willingly participates in organization and / or department quality initiatives.

CRITERIA E : Cost Management - Employee demonstrates effective cost management practices.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Effectively manages time and resources
• Makes conscious effort to effectively utilize the resources of the organization material, human, and financial.
• Consistently looks for and uses resource saving processes.

CRITERIA F : Patient & Employee Safety - Employee actively participates in and demonstrates effective patient and employee safety practices.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Employee effectively communicates, demonstrates, coordinates and emphasizes patient and employee safety.
• Employee proactively reports errors, potential errors, injuries or potential injuries.
• Employee demonstrates departmental specific patient and employee safety standards at all times.
• Employee demonstrates the use of proper safety techniques, equipment and devices and follows safety policies, procedures and plans.

JOB FUNCTIONS

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS include, but are not limited to :

Collects blood and specimens from patients according to departmental protocol and policy.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Reviews requisitions for accurate identification of patients.
• Performs skin or venipuncture to obtain patient blood samples for laboratory examination.
• Accurately labels blood sample tubes.
• Delivers collected samples to the laboratory on a timely basis.
• Keeps blood drawing trays and equipment clean and well organized.
• Disposes of contaminated syringes, needles, tubes, etc. in accordance with established procedures.
• Enters and retrieves computer data.

2. Accessions patient samples into the laboratory computer system and provides to the Courier for transporting.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Prepares samples for testing by centrifugation.
• Notifies technical personnel of any special specimen handling required for testing
• Communicates with ordering personnel (physician, nursing staff, unit clerks, etc.) to clarify test orders and aid in order entry.
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the principles of phlebotomy and accessioning.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Demonstrates a working knowledge of reagent stability and storage.
• Handles specimens in a safe manner based on lab procedures and regulatory guidelines.
• Understands various medical terms and laboratory tests.
• Aware of the factors that influence test results.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the actions of various anticoagulants.
• Able to explain the anatomy and physiology of blood vessels and the circulatory system.
• Demonstrates working knowledge of the components and functions of those components to blood to include, RBC, WBC, platelets, and plasma or serum.

4. Practices appropriate safety, environmental, and infection control procedures.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Performs proper waste removal from assigned areas.
• Actively participates in maintaining the cleanliness of the laboratory area.
• Ensures patient safety by adhering to BRGMC Safety Policy guidelines.
• Demonstrates working knowledge of laboratory safety to include OSHA standards for

handling blood borne pathogens.

• Demonstrates working knowledge of aseptic techniques and methods of sterilization.
• Follows BRGMC policies and procedures related to the operation and maintenance of

equipment.

5. Follows established safety policies regarding biohazard and sharp exposure.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Wears laboratory coat while on duty in laboratory and during patient venipuncture.
• Wears gloves during patient venipuncture, specimen handling and when handling

contaminated material.

Disposes of contaminated needles and syringes in safe manner and in accordance with

established procedures.

6. Maintains accurate patient identification in phlebotomy, accessioning and pre-analytic areas of laboratory.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Utilizes patient armband and / or verbal confirmation for accurate patient identification with each collection performed.
• Accurately labels blood and non-blood collection containers with patient demographics.
• Verifies accurate specimen identification matches patient identification in LIS for

specimen / order received.

• Accurately labels aliquots prepared.
• Exceeds

7. Maintains good performance in blood culture collection.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

Uses sterile technique on venipuncture prep site and administration of blood to culture container. (Exceeds 0-2.5% contamination rate;

Meets 3.0-3.5% : Needs

Improvement >

3.5%).

Administers appropriate ml of blood to bottle for each year of patient age up to 10 years of age (minimally 7 ml of blood / container).

Exceeds

7 / year).

8. Maintains recollections at or below 2 % benchmark.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Follows established phlebotomy procedure according to test being ordered.
• Collects blood in appropriate tube order.
• Demonstrates appropriate use of butterfly needles with collection tubes minimizing hemolytic occurrence.

9. Performs journeyman level tasks in the pre-analytical phase of testing by preparing the samples for testing and delivering to the laboratory department.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Assists with training and mentoring of assigned staff.
• Participates in competency assessments.

10. Follows hospital and departmental policies and protocols.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS :

• Adheres to established policies governing patient and employee safety.
• Utilizes established system protocols and procedures in work performance.
• Follows hospital and departmental policies governing attendance, schedule change requests and call insurance.

11. Patient Services

Performance Standards :

• Courteously and professionally greets patients upon arrival, answers phone calls, and handles appropriately according to protocols.
• Communicates special patient needs to appropriate staff
• Mobile Phlebotomist functions are completed timely, prompting patient safety and minimizing patient delays.
• Ensures laboratory receives patient requisitions as well as specimens via courier utilizing a specimen log.
• Ensure specimen logs are accurate prior to sending specimens with courier.
• Performs a confidential and professional interview with patients to ensure that proper identity has been established as well as to ensure patient behavioral requirements have been met, for example fasting.

12. Driving to designated locations daily

Performance Standards :

Delivering specimens from various locations as assigned.

Plan and follow the most efficient routes

Removing all specimens and requisitions from vehicle

13. Maintains cleanliness and serviceability of equipment

Reports repair needs upon discovery. Removes damaged / unsafe equipment from usage.

Returns all equipment to proper storage location in the facility.

Ensures adequate amounts of supplies at each location.

14. Other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS :

Two years phlebotomy experience preferred; specimen processing preferred. Demonstrated human relation and effective communication skills.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS :

High School Diploma or GED preferred.

SPECIAL SKILL, LICENSE AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS :

Performs job for the age population served, as defined in the department’s scope of service. Able to handle numerous tasks simultaneously.

Excellent organizational skills. Able to perform assigned duties in a timely manner with minimal supervision. Ability to interact appropriately with a diverse population of customers.

Valid LA Driver’s License and Insurance on vehicle. Maintains clean driving record.

HIPAA REQUIREMENTS :

Maintains knowledge of and adherence to all applicable HIPAA regulations appropriate to Job Position including but not limited to : Paper medical records with limit to job functions, electronic GHIN without limitation to job functions, patient demographics, surgery or appointment schedule, patient related complaints, and / or information related to patient location.

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS :

Maintains knowledge of and adherence to all applicable safety practices appropriate to Job Position including but not limited to : Incident reporting, handling of wastes, sharps and linen, PPE, exposure control plans, hand washing, environment of care, patient identification, receive orders for patients, and collects blood samples.

No Weekends.