A medical laboratory assistant will work in a hospital preparing blood, urine and faeces for testing, the job is interesting, satisfying and requires commitment. A job description will be different at each establishment as each place has different requirements. Some individuals may perform just lab based activities where others will play more of a data entry clerk.
The assistant will help the scientists in any way they are asked to whether this may be by performing strict technical duties or by answering the phone for them, each individual will work differently but will need to work to the pathological rules and regulations as well. They will be based in the reception area responding to any visitors queries, and sorting samples out.
When a member of staff commences training before their role, they will learn all the areas required such as Haematology, Coagulation, Immunoassay as well as Biochemistry. Training is intense and will take several months. They may also work in other areas like Virology, Microbiology and Cytology, those who may work in these areas will only have knowledge of that area is it is quite specialized.
Staff in the Haematology area are responsible for checking the samples are correct and have all the right information, one member of staff will initially assess and enter all the requests on to a computer base and their partner will check to ensure they have not missed anything. Accuracy is everything, all work must be counter checked.
Mistakes do happen which is why accuracy from the assistants is essential. When the demographics do not match or when there are items missing such as date of birth or surname the blood item will be refused for testing in order to reduce the risk of incorrect results being sent back to the patients health provider. The worker contacts the ward or the department to report any errors so they can repeat at the earliest convenience.
Once the blood samples have been labelled to comply with one another, they will then be entered into the computer system and checked for efficiency by another employee who providing they are all correct will then place the samples into a rack and on to an analyser for testing.
The Biochemistry has some similarities in the way the bloods are processed, all of the specimens will be checked and compared to their cards, the aspect that is different is the use of a centrifuge at a speed of 3500rpm for a total of five minutes, this is to make the plasma available for the special testing. The tests are required to be entered into the computer system so they are available for health professionals that need them. The specimens are thoroughly checked by the scientists.
There is a discipline which is quite unique to the others, this is called Immunoassay and tests hormone levels in various parts of the body which may include a variety such as pregnancy tests both blood and urine. The preparation of each test is different and the assistant must be fully trained to know what happens to each sample, some tests require the sample to be frozen first and others need to be preserved in a fridge, in these cases the plasma is taken away from the blood by use of a centrifuge as mentioned in Biochemistry testing.
Searching for Dental Hygienist Schools or Clinical Research Course programs? Look to Canada’s leading school in health, technology, clinical research for quality training you deserve.