Medical Lab Scientist - Transfusion Lab - First Shift

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About Duke University Health System Clinical Laboratories

Pursue your passion for caring and innovation as a team member in the state-of-the-art Duke Health laboratories. Duke Health laboratories are College of American Pathologists accredited and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certified. The multidisciplinary team is committed to serving the rare and complex testing needs of Duke Health's diverse patient population by providing timely and accurate results, educating the next generation of laboratorians, scientists and physicians, and researching and developing the cutting-edge diagnostics of tomorrow.
Medical Lab Scientist at Duke Regional Hospital in Durham. Monday - Friday, 6:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. in the Duke Regional Hospital Transfusion Lab.

This position is eligible for a $10,000 commitment bonus.
General Description
The Medical Laboratory Scientist will coordinate and participate in a variety of complex technical tasks in the performance of laboratory tests to obtain data for use in the diagnosis and treatment of disease in the Transfusion Service Laboratory at Duke Regional Hospital. Duties and responsibilities for this position classification are specified by the medical director as follows:
Behavioral Expectations:

Model positive behavior that encourages a work culture supportive of the Duke University Health System Behavioral Values.
Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills necessary to facilitate positive interactions with co-workers, patients (and patient families), lab leadership, and all laboratory customers.
Maintain a positive and professional attitude during stressful situations and periods of issue resolution.
Adhere to all DUHS and departmental policies and procedures.
Duties and Responsibilities:

Maintain a sufficient inventory of material supplies and reagents and communicate when supplies require ordering. Assist with putting inventory away in a timely fashion to ensure product integrity. Ensure that reagents and supplies are rotated verifying expiry dates. Discard expired materials and notify the supervisor so that replacement can be made in a timely manner.
Coordinate and participate in the performance and interpretation of complex technical duties in support of medical laboratory testing; record determinations and results for review by laboratory management and physician/caregiver staff.
Maintain responsibility for patient identification, specimen labeling, and collection verification, or instructing patients or other healthcare providers in collection and preservation techniques for transfusion service samples. Request recollection of specimens as appropriate.
Ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained in compliance with HIPAA at all times.
Set up, evaluate, and operate current and new equipment, instruments, and apparatus required for specific laboratory tests and assume adequate responsibility to maintain operations including preventive maintenance.
Coordinate the preparation and quality assurance of reagents and supplies as appropriate.
Evaluate collected laboratory data and prepare reports assessing accuracy, completeness, timeliness, progress, adverse trends, and appropriate recommendations or conclusions.
Participate in the development of new medical laboratory procedures and techniques. Provide technical guidance and instruction to students, interns, residents, staff, and other employees as required.
Act as a person in charge (PIC) as well as a resource person/role model, as per guidelines determined by laboratory management. Monitor quality control, quality assurance, safety, and infection control practices to ensure compliance with internal and external regulations.
Maintain sufficient inventory of material supplies and equipment for performance of duties. Clean and maintain standard laboratory equipment as per SOP and GLP.
Monitor workflow, assessment of staffing levels, and reassignment as needed. Follow up and communicate with co-workers and supervisor as appropriate to ensure work is completed.
Utilize various laboratory and hospital information systems and software.
Communicate in a supportive, professional, courteous, and respectful manner with all, laboratory customers, patients and their families, and other medical personnel as necessary to obtain information for laboratory records, explain procedures, respond to questions, clarify orders, and communicate work status.
Demonstrate required dexterity, knowledge, and ability to complete assigned laboratory tasks and skills, attention to detail, and compliance with all appropriate regulatory and safety requirements.
Ensure that all work practices are CAP and AABB-compliant.
Ensure personal competency assessments are completed as directed within established timelines.
Participate in the testing of CAP proficiency testing.
Participate in lab inspections and work with inspectors as needed.
Provide advanced problem-solving, troubleshooting, interpretation/consultation, and verification of specimen quality and test results.
Transfusion Service Specific Responsibilities:

Receive patient samples for transfusion service testing. Determine specimen acceptability according to strict labeling criteria and reject unsuitable samples. Ensure BBID requirements are met.
Process all blood product preparation requests; consult with the patient care team regarding irregularities in ordering practice.
Dispense blood products to various clinical units, including emergency release dispensation of large quantities of blood products in critical care situations such as massive transfusion protocols and obstetric hemorrhage protocols.
Perform type & screen on patient samples.
Select the correct products and perform appropriate compatibility testing. Ensure products are requested, handled, and prepared following all guidelines.
Select appropriate and necessary tests to resolve discrepancies of serologic incompatibilities noted in routine testing (antibody identification, antigen typing, and other special techniques listed in the electronic document control system).
Select appropriate and necessary tests to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
Demonstrate the ability to perform independently in resolving lab problems.
Investigate all serological problems and transfusion reactions.
Perform preventative maintenance functions and quality control of all instrumentation. Troubleshoot as required, contacting Technical Service as needed. Communicate all system failures to senior and supervisory staff.
Receive blood products into inventory and perform confirmatory testing; receive/enter critical supplies into inventory.
Process autologous/directed forms and update information when notified of changes.
Maintain various leadership activities as assigned in addition to required job activities.
Recognizes and properly reports internal adverse events and/or near misses.
Inspect blood products using established procedures.
Evaluate the acceptability of blood products for issue and return to inventory.
Participate and make recommendations for quality improvements as appropriate
Completes annual continuing education requirements.
Minimum Qualifications:
Education
Bachelor's of Science/Bachelor of Arts in Chemical, Physical, Biological or Clinical Laboratory Science; or Medical Technology required. Minimum educational or experience requirements may be modified on a on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment) director if minimal CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment)

requirements are met by the employee for the tasks being performed.

Experience
None required

Degrees, Licensures, Certifications
ASCP Certification preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Experience involving patient contact, customer service in a medical setting, strong communication skills both verbal and written.
Basic knowledge of medical terminology.
Working knowledge of laboratory and hospital computer systems is helpful.
Thorough knowledge of laboratory safety and infection control procedures and practices including standard precautions and hazardous chemical handling.
Ability to demonstrate required dexterity, knowledge, and ability to complete assigned laboratory tasks and skills, attention to detail and compliance with all appropriate regulatory and safety requirements.
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with other employees.
Ability to perform independently in resolving lab problems.
Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

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Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

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