Technical Group Leader IHC Lab

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the general direction of the Special Procedures laboratory manager performs a wide variety of laboratory tests and procedures of moderate complexity (histology and immunohistochemistry) as defined by CLIA 88 in a diagnostic laboratory). Makes detailed observations analyzes data and records results. Duties include performing microtomy on various types of surgical specimens and tissue preparation of frozen sections.

Performs standard hematoxylin and eosinstained tissue sections and special histochemical stains as well chromogenic and fluorescent dyes and in situ hybridization. Maintains laboratory equipment and inventory levels for laboratory supplier. Expertise in histology and immunohistochemistry technical and the ability to provide leadership in the area of specialty.

Position: Technical Group Leader (IHC Lab)

Department: Pathology Lab

Schedule: Full Time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

• Develops new tests and new testing specialty by consulting and working with physician directors of lab sections.

• Orders and/or maintains inventory of all supplies related to the operation of the specialty area.

• Implements a best workflow or practice model for the area of technical specialty.

• Trains all other assigned staff in the technical specialty and ensure that all training documentation is complete.

• Assesses competency of staff to perform testing in the specialty area and consults with Supervisors and Physician Directors on needed corrective actions.

• After specialized training and required experience performs moderate complexity tests and interprets them for performance and accuracy.

• Acts as a resource and interprets tests for laboratory users in a manner consistent with level of training and knowledge.

• Reviews testing and/or procedures performed by other staff to maintain compliance with regulatory agencies as required when deemed qualified to do so by the section supervisor.

• Ensures accurate specimen identification and specimen labeling consistent with section and departmental standard operating procedure.

• Ensures sample testing is performed within the defined 1824 hour turnaround time set by the department.

• Identifies labeling problems or discrepancies; informs other laboratory sections about patient identification problems.

• Performs instrument and equipment maintenance as defined by each instrument manufacturer. Recognizes instrument equipment or methodology problems and/or discrepancies and brings them to the attention of the Supervisor.

• Maintains initial and annual competency documentation as outlined in section policies and procedures.

• Attends departmental continuing education classes during the year.

• Participates in scientific or service related continuing education classes

• Prepare equipment for processing embedding cutting IHC and special staining and mounting tissue

• Attends all scheduled staff meetings or if unable accepts responsibility for reading meeting minutes during work time.

• Supports education of students Pathology residents new staff and others through participation in teaching activities which may be didactic and/or bench side .

• Supports technical training of departmental staff members encompassing new employees new procedures and cross training.

• Communicates all important information regarding the laboratory (i.e. Inventory testing status and instrument status) to fellow staff members.

• Answers the telephone according to departmental policy; responds to inquiries/requests.

• Works cooperatively with other laboratory staff members and takes initiative to determine where assistance is needed and renders assistance.

• Reports all incidents safety hazards or accidents to appropriate personnel.

• Attends mandatory safety education sessions to keep informed of changes regarding safety issues.

• Respects patient and employee confidentiality.

• Keeps equipment and work area neat orderly and well stocked; puts supplies away when received.

• Performs assignments with a minimum of direction and is available to help others.

• Maintains open communication with Supervisors and Medical Directors.

• Plans and prioritizes tasks and adjusts to variable workloads.

• Assesses the inventory on a weekly basis in assigned work area and notifies Supervisor of supply needs.

• Utilizes Medical Centers values as the basis for decisionmaking and to facilitate the divisions mission.

• Follows established Hospital Infection Control and Safety procedures.

• Understands and applies knowledge of histologic tissue preparation opening cassettes and embedding

• tissues paraffin block microtomy frozen section microtomy and preservation of frozen tissues.

• Prepares chemicals (mixes/dilutes/reconstitutes solutions reagents stains etc. in order to maintain adequate supplies of special histologic and histochemical stains. Prepares buffers and fixatives. Labels slides. Insures compliance with quality control standards as described in laboratory procedure manual for use in staining techniques pertaining to histology and cytology.

• Ensures chemicals are disposed of according to hospital guideline

• May crosstrain in other areas of pathology and/or other laboratory departments (electron microscopy frozen section service special pathology)

• Process fresh and fixed tissue specimens for surgical anatomical and investigative histology preparations under supervision

• Files specimen blocks and glass slides for additional review and send out testing.

• Assists in the preparation and performance of human surgical specimen dissection including accessioning gross description fixation and processing.

• Receives and processes tissues or blood samples in order to prepare specimens for microscopic review.

• Uses computer system. Understands application of accessioning and histology section of CoPath software (running log sheets verification entering patient demographics etc..

Quality Compliance and Safety

• Calibrates and maintains laboratory equipment. Records test results. Prepares control slides

• Cleans/washes/stores laboratory supplies equipment and work area in order to ensure proper chemical safety and infection control.

• Informs department leadership when consumable supplies require replenishing

• Performs preventative maintenance and QC documentation of laboratory activities and equipment

• Completes training and maintains competency in Media Lab and Workday.

• Records statistical data (e.g. number of cases blocks slides stains) daily.

• Undertakes laboratory data management (specimen login filing and tracking).

• Maintains specimen accession file in compliance with regulatory agency requirements and provides test results and related information to authorized personnel verbally or in writing as required.

• Participates in the research and development of new procedures and stains as they relate to the improvement of diagnostic testing under the direction of the supervisor and/or group leader.

• Performs QC procedures and assesses Quality Control data according to Section Policy and Procedures.

• Recognizes technical and nontechnical problems/discrepancies in laboratory operations and brings these problems/discrepancies to the attention of the appropriate parties. These may include Supervisor Physician Director or Service Company.

• Performs analytic testing and assesses the validity of their results according to Section policy and procedures.

• Maintains proficiency for all designated LIS functions as outlined in section specific policies and procedures.

• Assist other laboratory sections as needed when directed by supervisory staff members.

• Participates in Quality Advancement/Quality Improvement activities according to Departmental policies and procedures.

• Attends departmental continuing education classes.

OTHER DUTIES:

• Interacts with medical staff and coworkers effectively and professionally.

• Undertakes specimen delivery and mail delivery as necessary

• Performs clerical duties (e.g. answers telephone files records in computer data base information on cytology and/or flow cytometry specimens test results etc..

• Performs clerical duties (e.g. answers telephone files records in computer data base information on cytology and/or flow cytometry specimens test results etc..

• Utilizes hospitals behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to facilitate the department and the hospitals mission and goals.

• Must adhere to all of BMCs RESPECT behavioral standards including Diversity and Inclusion policies.

• Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures.

• Performs other duties as needed.

• Develops new tests and new testing specialty by consulting and working with physician directors of lab sections.

• Orders and/or maintains inventory of all supplies related to the operation of the specialty area.

• Implements a best workflow or practice model for the area of technical specialty.

• Trains all other assigned staff in the technical specialty and ensure that all training documentation is complete.

• Assesses competency of staff to perform testing in the specialty area and consults with Supervisors and Physician Directors on needed corrective actions.

• After specialized training and required experience performs moderate complexity tests and interprets them for performance and accuracy.

• Acts as a resource and interprets tests for laboratory users in a manner consistent with level of training and knowledge.

• Reviews testing and/or procedures performed by other staff to maintain compliance with regulatory agencies as required when deemed qualified to do so by the section supervisor.

• Ensures accurate specimen identification and specimen labeling consistent with section and departmental standard operating procedure.

• Ensures sample testing is performed within the defined 1824 hour turnaround time set by the department.

• Identifies labeling problems or discrepancies; informs other laboratory sections about patient identification problems.

• Performs instrument and equipment maintenance as defined by each instrument manufacturer. Recognizes instrument equipment or methodology problems and/or discrepancies and brings them to the attention of the Supervisor.

• Maintains initial and annual competency documentation as outlined in section policies and procedures.

• Attends departmental continuing education classes during the year.

• Participates in scientific or service related continuing education classes

• Prepare equipment for processing embedding cutting IHC and special staining and mounting tissue

• Attends all scheduled staff meetings or if unable accepts responsibility for reading meeting minutes during work time.

• Supports education of students Pathology residents new staff and others through participation in teaching activities which may be didactic and/or bench side .

• Supports technical training of departmental staff members encompassing new employees new procedures and cross training.

• Communicates all important information regarding the laboratory (i.e. Inventory testing status and instrument status) to fellow staff members.

• Answers the telephone according to departmental policy; responds to inquiries/requests.

• Works cooperatively with other laboratory staff members and takes initiative to determine where assistance is needed and renders assistance.

• Reports all incidents safety hazards or accidents to appropriate personnel.

• Attends mandatory safety education sessions to keep informed of changes regarding safety issues.

• Respects patient and employee confidentiality.

• Keeps equipment and work area neat orderly and well stocked; puts supplies away when received.

• Performs assignments with a minimum of direction and is available to help others.

• Maintains open communication with Supervisors and Medical Directors.

• Plans and prioritizes tasks and adjusts to variable workloads.

• Assesses the inventory on a weekly basis in assigned work area and notifies Supervisor of supply needs.

• Utilizes Medical Centers values as the basis for decisionmaking and to facilitate the divisions mission.

• Follows established Hospital Infection Control and Safety procedures.

• Understands and applies knowledge of histologic tissue preparation opening cassettes and embedding

• tissues paraffin block microtomy frozen section microtomy and preservation of frozen tissues.

• Prepares chemicals (mixes/dilutes/reconstitutes solutions reagents stains etc. in order to maintain adequate supplies of special histologic and histochemical stains. Prepares buffers and fixatives. Labels slides. Insures compliance with quality control standards as described in laboratory procedure manual for use in staining techniques pertaining to histology and cytology.

• Ensures chemicals are disposed of according to hospital guideline

• May crosstrain in other areas of pathology and/or other laboratory departments (electron microscopy frozen section service special pathology)

• Process fresh and fixed tissue specimens for surgical anatomical and investigative histology preparations under supervision

• Files specimen blocks and glass slides for additional review and send out testing.

• Assists in the preparation and performance of human surgical specimen dissection including accessioning gross description fixation and processing.

• Receives and processes tissues or blood samples in order to prepare specimens for microscopic review.

• Uses computer system. Understands application of accessioning and histology section of CoPath software (running log sheets verification entering patient demographics etc..

Quality Compliance and Safety

• Calibrates and maintains laboratory equipment. Records test results. Prepares control slides

• Cleans/washes/stores laboratory supplies equipment and work area in order to ensure proper chemical safety and infection control.

• Informs department leadership when consumable supplies require replenishing

• Performs preventative maintenance and QC documentation of laboratory activities and equipment

• Completes training and maintains competency in Media Lab and Workday.

• Records statistical data (e.g. number of cases blocks slides stains) daily.

• Undertakes laboratory data management (specimen login filing and tracking).

• Maintains specimen accession file in compliance with regulatory agency requirements and provides test results and related information to authorized personnel verbally or in writing as required.

• Participates in the research and development of new procedures and stains as they relate to the improvement of diagnostic testing under the direction of the supervisor and/or group leader.

• Performs QC procedures and assesses Quality Control data according to Section Policy and Procedures.

• Recognizes technical and nontechnical problems/discrepancies in laboratory operations and brings these problems/discrepancies to the attention of the appropriate parties. These may include Supervisor Physician Director or Service Company.

• Performs analytic testing and assesses the validity of their results according to Section policy and procedures.

• Maintains proficiency for all designated LIS functions as outlined in section specific policies and procedures.

• Assist other laboratory sections as needed when directed by supervisory staff members.

• Participates in Quality Advancement/Quality Improvement activities according to Departmental policies and procedures.

• Attends departmental continuing education classes.

OTHER DUTIES:

• Interacts with medical staff and coworkers effectively and professionally.

• Undertakes specimen delivery and mail delivery as necessary

• Performs clerical duties (e.g. answers telephone files records in computer data base information on cytology and/or flow cytometry specimens test results etc..

• Performs clerical duties (e.g. answers telephone files records in computer data base information on cytology and/or flow cytometry specimens test results etc..

• Utilizes hospitals behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to facilitate the department and the hospitals mission and goals.

• Must adhere to all of BMCs RESPECT behavioral standards including Diversity and Inclusion policies.

• Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures.

• Performs other duties as needed.

Must adhere to all of BMCs RESPECT behavioral standards.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

Must adhere to all of BMCs RESPECT behavioral standards.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• Requires a Bachelors degree or Masters degree in a clinical laboratory science biological or applied science (chemistry Biology Biochemistry).

CERTIFICATES LICENSES REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

• Histotechnician HT(ASCP) or Histotechnologist HTL (ASCP) certification or eligibility is preferred but not required

EXPERIENCE:

• Five years of clinical laboratory experience as an IHC specialist as well as documented expertise in the technical specialty and the ability to provide leadership in the area of specialty.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills; strong knowledge of anatomy and physiology and medical terminology

• Basic computer proficiency inclusive of ability to access enter and interpret computerized data/information required. Experience with CoPath software a plus.

• Knowledge of clinical laboratory science and standards necessary to perform moderate complexity tests as defined by CLIA and ability to interpret results.

• Analytic abilities to perform moderate complexity testing as defined under CLIA 88 to interpret findings perform calculations calibrate instruments review moderate complexity testing performed by other employees as defined by CLIA guidelines and so forth.

• Ability to maintain compliance with all regulatory agency (e.g. JCAHO CAP FDA AABB) requirements.

• Manual/visual dexterity necessary to prepare specimens prepare solutions screen specimens and operate a computer software system. Requires English verbal and written language skills sufficient to exchange information with physicians interact with other technologists etc.

• Demonstrate accuracy in preparing staining and mounting tissue sections.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans