Laboratory Support Associate - Contract - New Hyde Park

About the position

The Laboratory Support Associate plays a crucial role in the laboratory by receiving, processing, and verifying specimens. This position involves assisting with materials management, quality control procedures, and performing preventative maintenance on basic instrumentation. The associate ensures compliance with safety standards and serves as a liaison between patients, clients, vendors, and laboratory staff.

Responsibilities

• Ensures specimens are properly labeled with patient identity and specimen source.
• Documents specimens not properly labeled and takes appropriate corrective action.
• Identifies acceptable and unacceptable specimens, including those that may adversely impact patient results.
• Verifies receipt of specimens for processing including inpatients, outpatients, and those requiring special billing.
• Handles instrumentation in compliance with established standards to ensure a safe working environment for self and others.
• Performs preventative maintenance on instrumentation, as required.
• Serves as a liaison between patients, clients, vendors and laboratory staff.
• Completes and files necessary forms.
• Maintains records of all STAT reporting activities.
• Distributes, retrieves and documents telephone laboratory order forms for physicians.
• Enters patient demographic information on the department computer system.
• Answers telephones, takes messages and answers questions, as needed.
• Assists in maintaining inventory for all storeroom items, media and reagents.
• Dates, unpacks and stores supplies, checking expiration dates, quantity and quality of supplies.
• Identifies and reports any discrepancies in supply shipments to management, as needed.
• Performs daily quality control activities and documents results.
• Notifies management of any quality control issues.
• Prepares and processes all necessary forms and samples for testing to be performed at reference laboratories.
• Ensures all samples are sent at correct temperature and shipped according to regulations.
• Performs related duties, as required.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent, required.
• Prior laboratory experience, preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively.

Benefits

• Salary range of $21-$33/hour
• Comprehensive benefits package