Medical Lab Scientist

External Applicants Earn up to $10,000 Sign on Bonus!

Work Shift

Variable/Rotating Shifts

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Summary

This position supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by providing timely and accurate patient results in one or more areas of the clinical laboratory. The Medical Laboratory Scientist ensures test accuracy through compliance with regulatory requirements, performance and review of quality control, and active participation in performance improvement activities.

Job Description

Job Duties

• Ensures that accurate and clinically relevant information is communicated with patients, their families, and co-workers at hand offs and other times as needed. Take all measures necessary to ensure that the appropriate and involved parties have communicated necessary information in order to allow for the best possible patient outcome.
• Properly identifies patients and samples during the pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases of testing.
• Performs analyses on a variety of biological specimens, including blood, urine, stool, body fluids and tissues.
• Performs, evaluates, and documents calibration and quality control; resolves issues as needed.
• Maintains, troubleshoots, and resolves issues with assays and instruments.
• Follows laboratory procedures for test analysis, test reporting, and maintaining records of patient results.
• Communicates effectively and professionally with physicians, nurses, other medical personnel, patients, and families.
• Prioritizes workload to ensure timely reporting of results.
• Maintains and improves skills by participating in at least one continuing education activity annually.
• Actively seeks and identifies opportunities for process improvement.
• Assists in procedure writing, updating, and validating.
• Acts as a resource for laboratory medicine information to providers and others.
• Uses laboratory information system access information, enter results, and generate reports.
• Educates and trains MLT and MLS students.
• May be required to perform specimen collection, including phlebotomy, respiratory swabs, and skin tests, with skill and compassion.
• Assists providers with special procedures as needed (for example, bone marrows).
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines, carries out job-specific safety duties and responsibilities, and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents and injuries.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of laboratory testing procedures.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements, including CAP, COLA, CLIA, TJC, and FDA.
• Ability to work quickly and efficiently under pressure without sacrificing quality.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work with interruptions.
• Skill to use standard laboratory instrumentation.
• Skill to use the laboratory information system (LIS).
• Ability to critically think about test results in relation to patient condition.
• Ability to recognize and correct problems with quality control.
• Ability to recognize problems and troubleshoot laboratory equipment.
• Ability to detail-oriented.
• Ability to complete appropriate documentation and paperwork clearly and completely.

Professional Experience

• Experience preferred.

Education

• Required: Bachelor's degree in medical laboratory, biological, or chemical science.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• Required: Certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (American Society of Clinical Pathologists), Medical Technician (American Society of Clinical Pathologists), or Medical Technician (Association of Medical Technologists) within 18 months of hire or transfer.

Physical Requirements

Constant = 67-100% of workday
None

Frequent = 34-66% of workday
Reaching
Sitting
Standing
Walking
Talking
Hearing
Repetitive motion
Grasping
Handling

Occasional = 33% or less of workday
Lifting
Use of fingers
Balancing
Stooping
Kneeling
Pulling
Feeling
Pushing
Crouching
Climbing

Physical Demand RequirementsLight: Exert up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently.

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Mercy is an independent, community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years.

Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.