Essential Duties & Responsibilities 

Role Overview:  

Medical Technologist provides general lab support including laboratory housekeeping, equipment maintenance, inventory of supplies, laboratory cleaning, media and reagent qualifications. A medical technologist is responsible for performing professional laboratory work following established clinic procedures and performing chemical and biological tests on patient specimens for medical diagnosis. Medical Technologists conduct laboratory tests, procedures, experiments, and analyses to provide data for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. They analyze bodily fluids like blood, urine, and spinal fluid, to determine the presence of normal and abnormal components. 

As a Medical Technologist at the VA you will carry out day to day operations in the Clinical Laboratory: Chemistry, Blood Bank, Hematology, Coagulation, Urinalysis, and Microbiology. This would include routine testing, quality control, routine maintenance of instrumentation and troubleshooting. You will develop, perform, evaluate, interpret, correlate, and validate the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results ensuring all laboratory regulatory requirements are met. Testing procedures are performed on a variety of biological specimens and/or samples using manual or automated techniques, following practices and regulations governing biosafety and biosecurity in the workplace. These require a broad exercise of independent sound judgment; originality of thought; detailed analytical skill; and ability to establish and define various levels of competence necessary to perform assigned duties, including organizing and setting priorities with minimal technical supervision. 

As a Medical Technologist you must be detail-oriented and reliable since the job has high responsibility. You must possess excellent communication skills as well as aptitude in using computers. You must pass a background check. 

         Responsibilities: 

• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of techniques, principals and instruments and their inter-relationships the physiological conditions affecting test results 
• Performs and reviews quality control 
• Perform assigned clinical laboratory testing accurately and in a timely manner 
• Prepare workstation and instrumentation for the assigned testing 
• Ensures maintenance of instruments and equipment is performed according to manufacturer and SOP requirements, and documented according to SOP 
• Performs analyses which may involve a complex network of steps and variable fine-line discriminations between several similar results 
• Responsible for performing tests from written procedures 
• Excellent attendance that contributes to high patient satisfaction and quality patient care, minimal dept 
• Initiate training of new staff within the technical group 
• Maintain quality control of laboratory testing to ensure accurate and timely lab reporting 
• Perform instrument/equipment and reagent/supply maintenance functions 
• Work with acute-care and outpatient caregivers, along with other Laboratory Services staff in performing their duties 
• Previous experience in a Histocompatibility Laboratory is strongly preferred 
• Previous experience in a Blood Bank Laboratory or Immunology Laboratory is preferred 
• Conduct quality control procedures on patient tests and laboratory equipment to ensure that accurate diagnostic testing is performed 
• Report patient data to the patient’s medical record and/or medical staff if the results warrant direct contact 
• Perform high complexity tests that are authorized by the Director and require a degree of skill commensurate with the incumbents’ education, training, experience, and technical abilities 
• Follow the Laboratory procedures for specimen collection 
• Adhere to the laboratory’s total quality management (TQM) policies, document all TQM activities, instrument and procedural calibrations, and maintenance performed 
• Performs routine and non-routine laboratory tests including CLIA highly complex testing 
• Performing serological, bacteriological, biochemical, hematological, and microbiological examinations on samples. 
• Conducting blood group, type, and compatibility tests, as well as full blood counts. 
• Counting the cells in prepared samples, as wells as microorganisms, including bacteria or parasites. 
• Analyzing biochemical composition and determining the presence of drug chemicals. 
• Determining whether sample parameters fall within normal ranges and identifying abnormalities. 
• Summarizing results and reporting findings in electronic format to referring physicians and medical specialists, as well as collaborating on patient care. 
• Inventorying laboratory stock and supplies, as well as ordering replenishments 
• Maintaining and calibrating equipment, including analyzers, colorimeters, flame photometers, and spectrophotometers. 

Required Skills & Experience 

• Obtains, correlates, and reports accurate test results and proficiency test results following standard operating procedures. (5) exceptions 
• Completes work in expected time frame. (8) exceptions 
• Reports critical test results according to standard operating procedures. (5) exceptions 
• Maintains a working knowledge of all laboratory departments and technical information. (3) exceptions 
• Verifies and correlates patient’s specimens and request data. Labels specimens accurately. (4 exceptions) 
• Errors in blood bank procedures that do not fall in Element I Standard 6, or Element II Standard I, will be assessed in this standard. There will be no more than one (1) exception per year. 
• There can be no mistakes in blood bank procedures that have the potential to adversely affect patients and/or deviates from blood bank policy and standard operating procedures. Prior to classifying an error in this category, the supervisory staff will meet and review the incident in light of several factors including impact on the patient, circumstances surrounding the incident, requirements of accreditation agencies, and the number of steps in the process that if followed correctly would have prevented the incident.  
• Performs quality control according to standard operating procedures. (4) exceptions 
• Performs maintenance according to standard operating procedures. (4) exceptions 
• Performs startup and calibration according to standard operating procedures. (4) exceptions 
• Documentation and records are accurate, legible and complete (10) exceptions. This will include Blood Bank documentation errors that have no adverse effect on the patient. 

Years of Professional Experience: 

A Bachelor's Degree in medical technology along with 2 years’ experience is required. A valid ASCP certification is also required.

You must pass a background check.