The role of a medical lab helper is to support the work of technologists and technicians in a clinical laboratory and thus they play a vital part in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of illness.
Medical laboratory assistant job description
Their main area of work is to prepare samples for laboratory testing. A medical lab assistant will check a sample to guarantee it is in the proper example container and will also determine the patient’s details on the sample and accompanying form to make certain they match. They then give each sample and form a novel identifying number and record the tests required on the computer system. Samples are usually placed in a system to be investigated. An aid will also indoctrinate laboratory staff and doctors on the way to handle examples correctly.
Medical lab aides regularly collect bodily fluid and tissue samples under the supervision of a medical technologist. They could also test samples by hand or operate automated researching equipment depending on the custom of the lab.
A medical laboratory helper is mostly needed to maintain and calibrate machines and guarantee appliances are sterilized. They also oversee the upkeep of supplies; make chemical solutions and store cultures and tissue samples. Occasionally their work will involve more clerical jobs such as answering the telephone and maintaining patient files, and they often use computer systems to retrieve data for technologists and technicians.
Necessary abilities
Medical laboratory helpers need to know suitable sampling strategies and sample acknowledgment policies and understand computer systems. They need to be acquainted with the information protection act and respect patient confidentiality. They have to be methodical, accurate and pay good focus on detail when preparing and researching samples. Good manual dexterity and visible acuity are also mandatory.
Work settings for medical laboratory assistant jobs
A medical laboratory aid can find work in medical centres and hospices as well as public and private clinical laboratories. They may usually be on their feet most of the day and will spend lots of their time in a sterile lab. Depending on the employment setting, there can be chances for a 40 hour week with repeated hours or often aides can be needed to be flexible and work nights and weekends.
Needed training
A medical laboratory assistant job routinely requires at least an one year certificate qualification or preferably an associate’s degree in medical science or applied science. It is best to make certain that you receive your training from a licensed medical assistant school so you are assured quality education. Check with the highschool that they are authorized by either the Commission on Accreditation of Associated Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), the Commissioning Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), or the Nation's Commissioning Agency for Clinical Lab Sciences (NAACLS). Training also involves a period of practical work so that students can become acquainted with the jobs of a lab setting. Some states may require you to be a registered or approved medical laboratory aid before it's possible to take up work. This is found out by establishing contact with the office of health in your area.
Accredited ratification
Like with any medical job, it is extremely a smart idea to become licensed as this could give you more job opportunities and a higher pay. One of the primary setups which certify medical lab assistants is the North American Medical Technologists (AMT).
Salary Expectancies
The average annual medical laboratory assistant salary for those with less than five years experience is between $19,760 and $28,953 based mostly on a 40 hour work week. This equates to $9.50 – $13.92 per hour. Naturally, wages increase with experience and higher qualifications. It is also possible to specialize within the sector of lab testing through gaining extra training on, for instance, haematology or microbiology. The type of employer and location also influence pay. Government-run facilities and large infirmaries have a tendency to pay the most. California, Massachusetts, Washington and Michigan pay the highest average incomes of over $37,000 per annum or $17.87 per hour. There are also compensation aspects to a medical laboratory assistant job which increases its overall worth including sick leave, paid vacation, health care insurance and retirement packages.
Job prospects
As modern medication advances, new tests are developed in order to diagnose diseases and subsequently more medical lab helpers are. Needed to address an increased work load. There are also good possibilities for advancement with further training. You could learn how to do much more advanced and in depth laboratory testing and become a technician or medical laboratory technologist. Therefore , the job of a medical lab helper offers good work success and security.
Jill Anderson writes also about a medical examiner assistant and a medical research assistant at her academic and medical career oriented blog.