Medical Lab Scientist or Medical Lab Tech- Hiawatha Lab - Mercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids

External applicants are eligible for up to $10,000 sign bonus! 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 Duties

• Ensure 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

Department Specific Duties

• Assist providers with special procedures as needed (for example, bone marrows)

Knowledge, Skills and 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, but not required.

Education

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

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• Required: Certification as an MLS(ASCP), MT(ASCP), or MT(AMT) within 1 year of hire
• Employees hired prior to 1/1/13 are grandfathered

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