Laboratory Technician

Position Overview

Reporting to the Director of Laboratory, the Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) exercises sound clinical judgment, technical expertise, and collaborative teamwork to support comprehensive clinical laboratory services. This position is responsible for performing diagnostic testing across multiple laboratory disciplines, conducting specimen collections, maintaining rigorous quality assurance standards, and ensuring compliance with all regulatory guidelines in a patient-centered care environment.

Schedule & Shift Details

• Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
• Shift: Day Shift
• On-Call: Shared on-call rotation required to support emergency testing during nights, weekends, and holidays

Key Responsibilities

Diagnostic Testing & Laboratory Operations

• Perform analytical testing in Urinalysis, Chemistry, Microbiology, Coagulation, Serology, Hematology, and Transfusion Services (Blood Bank) using standard protocols approved by the Pathologist.
• Operate, maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot clinical laboratory instrumentation and testing systems.
• Execute and document daily, weekly, and monthly preventive maintenance schedules; maintain clean, sanitized, and organized work areas.
• Recognize technical malfunctions or testing deviations, initiate corrective actions immediately, and withhold patient results until systems perform within acceptable limits.
• Apply efficient, LEAN operational practices to daily bench workflows.

Specimen Collection & Patient Registration

• Collect capillary, venous, and arterial blood specimens from patients ranging from pediatric to geriatric in diverse settings (bedside, outpatient clinic, and long-term care).
• Register patients into the Laboratory Information System (LIS) for scheduled and walk-in laboratory appointments.
• Review, validate, and enter written physician orders into the LIS with high accuracy.
• Properly label, process, centrifuge, store, and package specimens for retention or transport to reference laboratories.
• Coordinate with reference laboratories to ensure testing quality, timely reporting, and accurate billing for send-out tests.

Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain and deliver laboratory services in strict accordance with CLIA standards, hospital compliance policies, and departmental budgets.
• Follow established Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) protocols, monitoring analytical performance and documenting all corrective actions.
• Participate actively in Proficiency Testing (PT), testing PT samples identically to patient specimens, reviewing data, correcting identified issues, and signing documentation prior to submission.
• Review all departmental technical procedure manuals on an annual basis.
• Uphold patient privacy rights and strict HIPAA compliance, never discussing confidential patient clinical details outside appropriate healthcare channels.

Administration & Departmental Support

• Coordinate ordering, receiving, and stocking of laboratory reagents, controls, and testing consumables.
• Collect operational data, answer administrative correspondence, compile statistics, and post test charges accurately.
• Build and maintain collaborative, professional relationships with physicians, nursing teams, and hospital departments.
• Participate in staff meetings, in-service training, hospital committees, and ongoing continuing education.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Licensure

• Education: Associate degree in Medical Technology, Medical Laboratory Science, or a related chemical/biological science from an accredited program.
• Certification: Active certification as an MLT through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Medical Technologists (AMT), or equivalent national accrediting body; must maintain active standing.
• State Licensure: Current professional licensure in accordance with state regulations.

Technical & System Proficiencies

• Working proficiency with Laboratory Information Systems (LIS), Hospital Information Systems (HIS), and Electronic Medical Records (EMR).
• Demonstrated knowledge of standard laboratory methodologies, generalist bench skills, and phlebotomy techniques across all age groups.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

• Physical Capabilities: Requires full range of body motion, manual and finger dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and prolonged standing/walking.
• Sensory Requirements: Normal visual acuity and normal color perception are required to differentiate specimens, reagents, and analytical reactions.
• Environment: Work is performed in an indoor, climate-controlled, smoke-free healthcare setting with moderate noise levels.
• Occupational Hazards: Regular exposure to biohazardous materials, infectious communicable diseases, blood and body fluids, sharps, chemicals, and laboratory reagents requiring adherence to universal precautions and personal protective equipment (PPE).