Specimen Processing Specialist 1

Department Overview

The major duties of the Specimen Processing Specialist 1 consists of receiving, identifying, assigning

accession numbers, sorting, preparation, internal laboratory distribution of surgical pathology and

cytology samples, slides and materials. The secondary role of this position is to provide technical

support for laboratory technical staff, residents, pathology assistants, pathologists and other specimen

processors. This position will also answer telephone calls concerning lab results, specimen

requirements, procedures, time required for tests, and preparation of specimens for other lab sections

and outside labs for analysis. The person filling this position will be of professional demeanor and

perform their duties with an attitude which will best serve the clients of the department, OHSU, and

outside the organization. This is the first of a two-level series.

Function/Duties of Position

Perform accessioning/data entry for specimens received for pathology diagnosis.

• Receives samples for testing.
• Checks accuracy of specimen's requisitions and labels triaging as appropriate; logging them as per policy, documenting specimens sent elsewhere.
• Contacts referring location for missing or illegible information and clarify orders; follows up to ensure resolution including documentation, obtaining signature of person responsible for corrective action and submission of Patient Safety Intelligence.
• Follow up on specimens that appear to be missing.
• Performs computer entry as per department procedure, creating or sending the correct account and visit numbers, selecting appropriate specimen type and entering complete and accurate detail.
• Creates billing accounts in HMS for specimens received from outside OHSU.
• Accurately labels request forms, specimen containers, and slides.
• Ensures that all specimens received are accessioned and triaged in a timely manner.
• Seeks approval and communicates to appropriate team members for same day and weekend/holiday RUSH processing.
• Notifies appropriate personnel when priority specimens are received including frozen sections and requests for RUSH processing.
• Recognizes unusual, questionable, or lost specimens, and seeks assistance from Pathologist’s Assistants/house staff/faculty/manager/ordering provider following to resolution.
• Communicates clearly promoting excellent customer service and teamwork.
• Communicates effectively with all customers including physicians, nurses, fellow employees, outside clients and patients.
• Maintains a professional demeanor at all times, even under stress

Specimen, slide, block preparation and management

• Maintains orderly progression of specimens to the gross room.
• Maintains orderly specimen storage cabinets. 
• Preserves samples/hardware and coordinates requests to return to patients, research coordinators and legal firms.
• Retrieves and transports cassettes from the grossing area, placing them in numerical order and loading them into the tissue processor providing photo documentation for quality control.
• Ensures that tissue processors are setup, loaded and/or started at end of shift.
• Maintains communication with the gross room personnel regarding fixation, hold over specimens and provides work list updates. 
• Coordinates requests for special disposition with Decedent Affairs Coordinator. 
• Prepares, stains and coverslips cytology and surgical samples. 
• Labels slides with computer generated labels as needed.
• Reconciles slides with worklists and distributes following lab protocols.
• Retrieves blocks and coordinates with work list for tests ordered in LIS.
• Retrieves blocks for cutting of control slides to maintain supply of controls ready for use. 
• Assists in the organization and filing of slides, blocks, and reports on site, in remote locations (Richard Jones Hall and Iron Mt.), and archiving preparation.
• Pull slides and reports for weekly conferences. 
• Prepare materials for send out and research requests.
• Store and/or return consult slides.
• Discards tissue following standard procedure maintaining adequate free storage space to ensure new specimens can be stored; includes fixed and frozen specimens. 

Supply and Equipment Management

• Maintains inventory of supplies for all Surgical Pathology sections.
• Follows established procedure for ordering, receiving supplies and documentation of supply orders.
• Prepares formalin, bulk reagents and other solutions/reagents as needed.
• Monitors temperature-dependent equipment, investigating equipment that does not meet required temperature standards and notifying the lead worker.
• Assists in equipment inventory recording and documentation.
• Operates and performs daily maintenance on multiple instruments and equipment.
• Prepares, labels and packages EM and IF fixative for send out.
• Operates recycling equipment, performs quality control and prepares reagents for reuse or disposal.
• Maintains cleanliness of frozen section stations and daily change of staining solutions 

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma and at least two years of college lab science courses, plus one year of college math or computer courses OR

• High school diploma and two years of clinical lab experience OR

• High school diploma and successful completion of a Lab Assistant Training program including clinical lab experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a clinical or pathology laboratory setting, including specimen handling, HIS and LIS data entry, billing, telephones, other data entry. 

Additional Details

Positions in the laboratory and environs may require working flexible schedules including nights

weekends and holidays; working at multiple laboratory or hospital sites; traveling between laboratories

and sites by stairs, elevator, tram, shuttle or other means; exposure to blood and body fluids, chemical

hazards, radiation; working in a somewhat noisy and crowded environment; wearing gloves and other

Personal Protective Equipment for long periods of time; experiencing temperature fluctuations in the

building.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu