Job Information
Dignity Health Clinical Laboratory Scientist in Sacramento, California
Overview
Built-in 1973 Dignity Health Methodist Hospital of Sacramento is committed to providing daily excellence in health care for residents of Sacramento’s southern suburbs including the Elk Grove Wilton and Galt communities. Methodist Hospital is home to a 158 acute-care bed facility with 1120 employees 283 medical staff and 29 Emergency Department beds. Methodist Hospital also owns and operates Bruceville Terrace – a 171-bed sub-acute skilled nursing long-term care facility adjacent to the hospital that provides care for the elderly as well as those requiring extended recoveries. Methodist Hospital is home to the Family Medicine Residency Program an accredited and nationally recognized program which provides resident physicians with specialty training in primary care family medicine. Together the hospital and residency program implemented a ground-breaking curriculum addressing the identification treatment and assistance of human trafficking victims and created a one-of-a-kind health clinic for victims the Human Trafficking Medical Home.
Responsibilities
The incumbent will perform pre-analytic, analytic and in some cases post-analytic laboratory duties such as chemical, microscopic, and/or bacteriologic tests and verifies results for use in the diagnosis and/or treatment of disease. Demonstrates competency in patient testing for neonate, pediatric, adult, and geriatric patients. May have access to medication storage areas in accordance with their job functions and hospital policy, or be required to distribute needles or syringes from storage locations, such as large stock supplies, automated dispensing units and other carts to/within patient care areas or treatment carts as defined by hospital policy/procedure. This responsibility is to be carried out in the manner consistent with the Mission and Philosophy of the Sisters of Mercy.
Demonstrates competency in age-specific patient testing for neonate, pediatric, adult, and geriatric patients. E: N/A M: Demonstrates competency with no prompting, reminding or intervention. DNM: Requires prompting, reminding or intervention by supervisor.
Properly identifies patient, sample, and/or result and maintains sample integrity throughout the analytical and reporting process. E: N/A M: Zero to two errors in category per year. DNM: Greater than two errors in category per year.
Performs technical procedures accurately, correlating technical data and evaluating results for reasonableness, and maintaining required
documentation. E: Zero errors in category per year. M: One to two errors in category per year. DNM: Greater than two errors in category per year.
Accurately reports results via computer entry or recording manually. Assures that authentication parameters have been met prior to allowing the auto release of results via the LIS. E: Zero errors in category per year. M: One to two errors in category per year. DNM: Greater than two errors or requires prompting, reminding or intervention by supervisor, in category per year.
Makes appropriate workflow decisions considering clinical needs, test priority, and response to expedited requests. Performs centrifugation and specimen preparation as needed for appropriate specimen workflow. E: 94-100% M: 88-93% of the time completes STAT requests within 45 minutes of specimen receipt in lab. DNM: Failure to meet standard at least 88% of the time. When extenuating circumstances are evident, adversely affecting the department TAT goals, this will be taken into consideration in rating the individual. Extenuating circumstances must be discussed and addressed at the Labor Management Committee that is provided in Article 28 of the CBA.
Recognizes, reports and calls critical values according to policy. E: N/A M: FT or PT employee meet standard 0.2-0.3% of total lab criticals per year. Less than PT employees 0.1-0.2% of total critical per year. DNM: Fails to meet standard.
Prepares, calibrates, and maintains equipment, trouble-shooting as needed, documenting actions, and reporting instrument status to co-workers and to supervisor. E: N/A M: Regularly performs assigned maintenance and calibrations with no misses. DNM: Fails to meet standard.
Performs and monitors quality control for tests and test systems, at beginning and throughout shift, as required by procedure. Recognizes shifts and trends and applies industry accepted, quality control rules to assure accuracy in test results. Takes corrective action when required. Stops the testing process when needed until corrective action is completed and quality control is assured. E: N/A M: One-2 undocumented quality control measures or problems per year and no unresolved quality control measures per year. DNM: More than 2 undocumented quality control measures or problems per year or any unresolved quality control measures per year.
Maintains work area in a neat and orderly manner, disinfecting work area at least once per shift and cleaning up reagent or specimen spills as soon as possible.
Records date of receipt, expiration date, lot number, date put into use, and identification of reagent/supplies, as required. E: N/A M: No more than 1 documented error/omission per year. DNM: More than 1 documented error/omission per year.
Assures good transition at end of shift by checking that adequate supplies/reagents are available for the next shift. Documents inventory needs and restocks work area. E: N/A M: One-2 documented omissions per year, or prompting required. DNM: More than 2 omissions per year or repeated or multiple prompting required.
Participates in the basic instruction/teaching and competency training of CLS and MLT students, and Lab Assistants, as related to the pre-, post- and analytical processes of the laboratory. Provides oversight of such individuals as assigned. Performs these duties, as does all other duties, with an attitude that is reflective of the Mission of the Sisters of Mercy. Works cooperatively with the Lab Director and/or Manager and other lab staff in assignment of these duties.
Performs basic customer service duties such as responding to and answering the phone within 3-5 rings when possible, responding courteously and providing the caller with the appropriate information, or directing the call to the appropriate section or person, as is needed for appropriate coverage; greeting patients and visitors; answering questions or finding help. Performs other related duties assigned by supervisor.
Relief Shift Lead. Individual must qualify under CLIA 493.1461 as a general supervisor.
Responsible for the day-to-day supervision or oversight of the laboratory operation and personnel performing testing and reporting test results, including high complexity testing.
Be on-site and accessible to testing personnel at all times testing is performed to resolve technical problems in accordance with policies and procedures established either by the laboratory director or technical supervisor.
Responsible for monitoring test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure that acceptable levels of analytic performance are maintained.
Responsible for assuring all remedial actions are taken whenever test systems deviate from the laboratory's established performance specifications; and ensuring that patient tests results are not reported until all corrective actions have been taken and the test system is properly functioning.
Responsible for notifying or contacting Laboratory Medical Director and/or Laboratory Administrative Director or Manager as needed for things that may require immediate attention, such as transfusion reactions, major instrument extended downtime, regulatory inspections, disasters, etc.
Responsible for the general oversight of the laboratory operations, including call-offs, replacement, HC as needed, response to codes/disasters and approval of overtime. Responsible for the assignment and reassignment of all lab staff according needs such as workflow, volume, patient acuity, etc. Assures that all staff takes meals and breaks in a timely manner. If the workflow does not permit, responsible for the approval of missed meal/break premium pay. E: N/A M: One-3 occasions where the workflow was adversely affected by inappropriate or lack of proper assignment, or excessive meal and breaks were not taken timely. DNM: More than 3 occasions where workflow was adversely affected by inappropriate or lack of proper assignment and repeated and excessive missed meal and breaks were not taken timely.
Individuals hired into the Staffing Pool will maintain competency as a CLS at all hospitals and the hospital laboratories. Evaluations will include performance at all locations.
Individuals will work at any of the hospitals as assigned. Preferences will not dictate assignment.
Qualifications
Education and Experience:
1 Year experience
Internship in a hospital clinical laboratory.
Bachelor degree in Biological Science, or US Military equivalent.
Licensure:
- California Laboratory Scientist license
Ability to trouble-shoot procedures and instrumentation and problem solve effectively.
Demonstated knowledge of modern clinical laboratory techniques and procedures, aseptic technique and proper safe technique
Pay Range
$69.65 - $69.65 /hour
We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.