Technician II - Labs

Formerly Puget Sound Blood Center and Lane Blood Center, Bloodworks is backed by more than 70 years of Northwest history and 250,000 donors. A national leader in transfusion medicine, Bloodworks has been chosen to serve more than 90 hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska – partnering closely with local hospitals to deliver the highest level of patient care. Patients with traumatic injuries, undergoing surgeries or organ transplantation, or receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders all depend on our services, expertise, laboratories and research. We are local, nonprofit, independent, volunteer-supported and community-based.

We have a wonderful opportunity for a Technician II to be working in our HLA department here at Bloodworks NW! The incumbent will be responsible for providing exceptional laboratory support for Immunogenetics technical staff. This position promotes and advances our mission by processing specimens for future testing, handling the initial receipt and review of patient and donor orders for organ transplantation, transfusion, and diagnostic services, providing customer service through phone consultations, handling QC and verification functions, and by completing routine administrative tasks in the daily operation of the laboratory. This position also assists with preparing specimens for testing and storage. 

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES include, but are not limited to:

Prepare specimens for testing and storage.

• Assure specimens meet labeling requirements.  Document problems.
• Review requisitions and/or Coordination forms for specimen preparation requirements.
• Complete documentation accurately.
• Organize specimens and workflow to prevent sample switches.
• Prepare specimens (cell, DNA, serum, and plasma), meeting goals for quality and quantity of preparation. Troubleshoot and document problem specimens.
• Route specimens for testing and/or storage according to the requirements of each patient and workup type. 
• Perform manual temperature monitoring for processing, if applicable.  Record temperature and initial results.
• Perform routine maintenance and QC on instruments, if applicable.
• Prepare reagents for processing, including proper labeling; maintain adequate inventories of reagents and supplies. Restock and clean the workbench as needed and at the end of the shift. 

Perform Laboratory Support tasks.

• Receive specimens and orders for laboratory testing. Enter specimen receipts in databases and document them on logs for audit-trail tracking. Prepare and deliver outgoing packages for FedEx and nearby institutions. 
• Evaluate specimen acceptability, following laboratory policies. Accurately perform data entry for patients and donors into appropriate databases. Troubleshoot specimen discrepancies by contacting customers for patient demographics and order clarification. Monitor questionable specimens for pending acceptance from customers. Prepare reports on unacceptable specimens for review.
• Respond to inquiries from physicians, nurses, transplant coordinators, and other healthcare professionals, primarily through answering the customer phone line and triaging calls as appropriate. Monitor shared email and voicemail boxes for communication, including notices of incoming specimens and follow-up when specimens are not received as expected.
• Perform required quality control for REES probes, temperature monitoring, centrifuges, water baths, and manual laboratory temperatures. Maintain centrifuges, eyewashes, and water baths. Communicate equipment failures to the supervisor and take appropriate corrective action. 
• Monitor laboratory medical supplies, reagents, and office supplies, ensuring adequate levels are maintained for operations. Perform inventory and order new shipments of reagents and supplies, following laboratory procedures.
• Manage patient and donor sera and cell inventories, including identifying frozen specimens to be archived for long-term storage, transferring specimens from temporary holding areas to permanent locations in freezers, and entering appropriate documentation for retrieval in databases.
• Oversee transplant patient mailer kit send-out process from start to finish, including list verification, preparation of patient mailer kits, accurate specimen tube labeling, receipt of returned mailer kits, verification of patient identification, and suitability of specimens for testing.
• Manage administrative tasks including creating and maintaining patient charts, filing, faxing, and photocopying. Coordinate distribution of correspondence, fax, email, and packages. Maintain accurate client and employee phone contact list. Participate in organizing, filing, and archiving of records.
• Deliver specimens to other BWNW laboratories for ABO, anti-A titer, and A1 lectin testing. Retrieve reports once testing is completed and save electronic copies. Monitoring when testing is delayed and follow up with other laboratories to determine test result status.

Perform procedures required for laboratory function promptly and according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

• Comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements regarding patient and donor confidentiality.
• Review and demonstrate knowledge of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). Properly document errors.
• Perform procedures with emphasis on safety for self and others. Report safety issues to the supervisor or designee. 
• Communicate specimen and test issues with team members to maintain quality and expedite turn-around time (TAT).  Assist team members in completing tasks when needed. Document when time expectations are not met.
• Recognize situations in which management should be consulted. Refer requests for consultation appropriately.
• Comply with all applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as written.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor of Science degree in clinical laboratory science or equivalent (a chemical, physical, or biological science). 
• Six months of HLA laboratory experience; otherwise, one year of technical laboratory experience is required.
• The incumbent will be in training for the Immunogenetics Technologist I position.  Promotion to Technologist I is typically representative of a minimum of 6-12 months of HLA experience.

SPECIFIC JOB SKILLS include, but are not limited to:

• Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, etc.), internet use, and familiarity with database operations.
• Strong organizational skills; demonstrated ability to work with a high level of accuracy, effectively multi-tasking and prioritizing workload to meet deadlines and produce results.
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to effectively proofread technical documents and apply proper grammar.
• Ability to work under stress, handling interactions with staff and the public using excellent verbal and interpersonal skills, judgment, tact, and diplomacy. Experience in handling confidential, sensitive, and/or patient-related materials. 
• Requires ability to comprehend the criticality of the testing being performed, as it relates to the blood components being prepared for transfusion, or organs being transplanted.  Includes a fundamental understanding of the financial value of the testing reagents, blood components being prepared, and the necessity to follow all regulatory rules and regulations (AABB, CFR, EU, CLIA, HIPAA, and State), including FDA’s “Good Manufacturing Practices”. 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• This position is in a highly regulated environment and is subject to meeting various regulatory agency and accrediting body rules and requirements, including The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments), American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI), the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), and WA State.
• The work area utilizes powerful magnets. Pacemakers and other objects that respond to strong magnetic fields may be affected.
• This position has direct exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
• The position requires extensive close work and extensive computer work; the ability to remain on task amid multiple audio and visual distractions is required. The incumbent is expected to work effectively in a fast-paced, team environment, and should anticipate intermittent overtime when reports need to get out to customers. 
• Bloodworks is a community-supported non-profit organization. As such, (from time to time) the incumbent can expect to work with volunteers. 

Bloodworks Northwest is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.