Medical Lab Assistant II Microbiology

Job Summary

The Medical Laboratory Assistant II performs advanced specimen collection, processing, and pre-analytical laboratory functions to support accurate and timely diagnostic testing in the clinical laboratory. This role independently manages complex registration, specimen handling, and laboratory workflows; ensures compliance with regulatory, safety, and quality standards; and serves as a resource to patients, clinical staff, and entry-level laboratory personnel. The MLA II demonstrates proficiency across laboratory computer systems, including EPIC, provides high-quality customer service, supports problem resolution, and assists with training, workflow coordination, and quality improvement activities while maintaining a safe, organized, and efficient laboratory environment.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education: BS or BA in Natural Sciences or Equivalent
Minimum Years of Experience: Six months experience in a Laboratory setting or equivalent customer service or general office experience.
Substitutable Education & Experience (Optional): Associate's Degree with a minimum of 3 years of Clinical or Anatomic Pathology Lab experience.
--OR--
High School Diploma or Equivalent and 5 Years Experience at LMC working in a clinical lab setting
Required Certifications/Licensure: None
Required Training: Excellent computer knowledge and skills. 
Interest and skills in biological sciences and a background in medical terminology preferred.

Essential Functions

• Greets patients and/or representatives in a professional and courteous manner to obtain proper identification and insurance information along with physician orders to complete the registration process. 
• Provides instructions to patients and/or representatives in the proper preparation and collection of self-collected tests (i.e. stool, urine, semen, etc.)
• Performs venipuncture to include capillary punctures for blood specimens from patients of various ages requiring developmentally appropriate techniques (Outpatient Lab and Outreach only).
• Orders, receives, tracks, and delivers specimens delivered to the laboratory by patients, couriers, nurses, or other medical personnel to testing departments and designated specimen holding locations; and manages the storage and disposal of patient samples, testing materials, and slides.
• Ensures specimens are labeled properly to maintain accurate patient identification.
• Answer telephone calls to provide guidance for inquiries providing excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Assists with monitoring the department pending and overdue lists, which includes, searching, locating, following-up and filing appropriate documentation.
• Collect urine specimens with Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines for federal
  transportation or client's post-accident collections while following proper chain of custody protocols (Outreach only).
• Responsible for delivering high quality service for all laboratory testing inquiries. Serves as a resource to address problems, identify resolutions, troubleshoot, and resolve problems as situations require. Notifies lead, charge, supervisor, or manager of significant problems when applicable. 
• Prepares, processes, stores and disposes all biologically hazardous reagents, chemicals and specimens following all regulatory and safety policies and procedures. 
• Independently interprets physician orders, verbal or written, and is responsible for communicating with physicians and other medical personnel for clarification of orders and incomplete requisitions while adhering to policies and procedures. 
• Maintains competence in all policies/procedures and IT systems including upgrades or changes within middleware solutions. Maintains a working knowledge of reference lab portals to navigate patient's orders/results, where applicable. 
• Provides essential assistance to professional staff with in the clinical laboratory, including pathologists, cytotechnologists, pathology assistants, and medical laboratory scientists. 

Duties & Responsibilities

• Work assigned hours to meet the need of the department.
• Maintain productivity by effectively prioritizing and organizing workload in a constant changing environment to meet daily needs and deadlines.
• Responsibility for delegation of workload among available personnel on day-to-day basis to provide optimum coverage and efficiency.
• Revenue responsibility such as applying appropriate charge codes.
• Scheduling CT and ultrasound-guided FNA’s and all pathologist-performed FNA’s. Nurse-type assisting, instructing and preparing patients on whom FNA procedures will be performed (Cytology Only). 
• Performs tasks such a filing, archiving and retrieving slides/blocks in (Anatomic Pathology only).
• When applicable, responsible for result scanning and result entry (transcription of cytotechnologist and pathologist final diagnoses into report format) and encoding of results for future reference. 
• Adapts to changes in the work environment, job situation and job requirements.
• Maintain an optimistic and professional image and exhibits excellent customer service to patients, visitors, physicians, and coworkers.
• Works independently and as a team member.
• Follows and complies with all hospital and laboratory policies (i.e. Parking, Softech, UKG, eTrain).
• Complies with all regulatory policies and procedures including Safety as required by CLIA, CAP, FDA, OSHA, DNV, and SC Dept of Public Health; and keeps a well maintained and clean area at all times.
• Demonstrates competence to provide developmentally appropriate care/treatment for the following patient population; Infant (birth to 1 year), child (1 through 12 years) adolescent (13 years through 17 years), adult (18 years to 65 year) and geriatric (over 65 years).
• Skilled knowledge and organization preparation of pending workload and processing of various types of specimens for interpretive review. 
• Skilled knowledge for operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of all instruments and documentation of all events to include temperature and/or humidity, as required. 
• Preparation and maintaining various reports to include abnormal patient result lists, QA/QC logs, etc. 
• Ensure Hazardous Waste or Hazardous Waste
• Pharmaceuticals are discarded, stored, and managed with other compatible waste streams in containers that are properly labeled and closed prior to being shipped offsite for proper disposal. Initial RCRA training is received within 6 months of the hire date and continuing with annual RCRA training.
• Performs additional duties as assigned and requested.