Gross Room Support Technician - Histology, Full Time Days, 40 Hrs/Week

This role will report to the Operations Manager and be responsible for assisting the Pathologists, Pathologists’ Assistants and Histology Technicians with patient specimens. This role will act as a front-line point of contact for anatomic pathology which requires a strong professional demeanor and strict attention to detail. The Histology Department and the Gross Room is an extremely busy and varied environment; the workflow requires significant concentration, multi-tasking abilities, knowledge of anatomy or histology, and great communication. The Gross Room Support Tech will be directly responsible for every patient specimen they handle and will accession specimens and build cases through EPIC HIS. This role is responsible for general Histology lab operation, and will interact with other allied health professionals such as nurses and support staff to resolve specimen collection issues.

1. Performs specimen triage, specimen identification, and properly accessions surgical and pathology specimens using Epic; organizes work and sets priorities for executing tasks.
2. Reconciliation of biopsy specimens: assures appropriate specimen accessioning reconciles specimen labeling of logs, containers, blocks, and requisitions, according to procedures.
3. Maintains and operates pathology processing equipment including cryostats, tissue processors, reagent recycler, cassette printers and other equipment as required.
4. Ability to utilize automated Histology equipment properly according to lab procedures and manufacturer’s instructions to assist pathologist and PA’s with frozen section preparations and performs frozen section cryotomy.
5. Programs tissue processors and loads cassettes on processor to ensure rapid turnaround of tissue specimens and biopsies.
6. Gross Room Tech is required to work in the morgue, pathology gross room, Main OR, and office. Additionally, techs are exposed to laboratory environment that include exposure to chemicals, infectious materials and biohazards.
7. Performs and documents quality control, quality assurance activities, maintenance, and corrective actions related to quality and performance.
8. Communicates effectively and courteously while working as a healthcare team member. Provides excellent service as defined by the customer (healthcare providers, patients, and others), and NCH CARES initiative.
9. Assists in training new employees as necessary and with any and all other duties as assigned.
10. Follows all security procedures concerning confidential patient information, both written and computerized.
11. Maintains adequate level of supplies, restocks as needed, and notifies supervisor of inventory needs.
12. Adherence to NCH, CAP, TJC, CLIA, IDPH, HIPAA, and OSHA policies, procedures, and regulations.

2. Knowledge of anatomy, histology, and or surgical specimen collection.

3. Experience in pathology gross room, histology/pathology lab, or surgical suite.

4. The organizational skills necessary to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and complete work timely, effectively, and accurately.
5. The interpersonal skills necessary to interact effectively with physicians and hospital staff.
6. Ability to solve problems and use problem solving abilities and able to seek out and perform additional tasks.
7. Computer skills, especially with MS Office and Epic HIS.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Able to stand for long periods of time, (5-8 hours).
2. Able to bend at knees, reach with arms, lift and carry up to 25 pounds.
3. Able to determine colors, have good dexterity, and legible handwriting.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
1. Laboratory environment with chemical and biohazard materials/agents.