Referral Testing Specialist - Medical Laboratory Scientist MLS(ASCP)cm at Dolly Parton Children's Hospital (2026-07 – Present)
- Ensuring patient specimen collection follows all guideline applicable to individual testing requirements
- Ensuring accurate patient data entry into various vendor ordering systems.
- Communicating clearly with providers and working to ensure test menus and ordered tests and clearly defined.
- Safely packing and shipping biological specimens according to state, local, and vendor shipping requirements.
- Participating in installation of new LIS system as EPIC Software 'Super User'
Chemistry Section Leader - Medical Laboratory Scientist MLS(ASCP)cm at Prisma Health Blount Memorial Hospital (2026-02 – 2026-07)
In addition to the responsibilities listed below in the Medical Laboratory Scientist/Generalist role, my position as Chemistry Section Leader also includes the following:
- Assignment, submission, and verification of CAP surveys assigned to the Chemistry Department. This includes:
- Ensuring the department is up-to-date on CAP Survey requirements, and investigating and resolving any deficiencies with lab management and the pathologists as needed.
- Accurately compiling survey data and ensuring correct submission to the CAP website
- Reconciling the department test menu with the CAP survey menu to ensure alignment
- Keeping track of employee assignments of survey materials and keeping CAP survey rosters up to date. This includes training of new employees in best practices for survey completion, and re-educating technologists when needed in order to ensure accurate results.
- Working with lab management and pathology department on new analyzer (Beckman Coulter DXI9000) test menu and functions. Including:
- Determining test menu
- Working with pathology and EPIC beaker team to determine reference ranges and critical lab values
- Coordinating new instrument validation with representative from Beckman Coulter.
- Ordering of all applicable reagents, calibrators, supplies, and QC material
- Calibration and trouble-shooting of all new analytes
- Coordinating the training of employees on the functioning of the new analyzer
- Reviewing current patients results, and pulling samples as needed for comparison and method studies
- Maintaining inventory for the Chemistry Department. This includes:
- Keeping track of current inventory levels
- Accurately estimating future inventory usage to prevent shortages
- Working with suppliers to ensure the lab is efficient and cost-effective in their supply usage
- Meeting with lab management and suppliers to determine best practices when shortages or recall issues are encountered
- Working with EPIC team, Pathology, and Lab Management to implement auto-verification of chemistry patient results during EPIC installation
- Determined best practices for specimen and sample collection.
- Verified HIL indices information from test menu IFUs, and working with pathology to effectively interpret and apply the date to the EPIC LIS build.
- Worked with IT and lab management to determine rules for auto-verification, to ensure provider and lab needs were effectively, accurately, and safely met.
- Building, implementing, and maintaining new laboratory QC monitoring and submission software - BioRad Unity RealTime. Including:
- Building QC test menu in system, and ensuring accurate transmission of data from analyzer to software
- Determining reference ranges, and referring to peer data when adjustments are needed
- Monitoring and reviewing of laboratory QC to ensure accurate resulting and adhering to best practices for QC troubleshooting
- Review of daily QC data to ensure all levels of QC are run and passed for all analytes
- Review of monthly hospital data against peer data submitted by other laboratories
- Employee training for best practices in relation to QC troubleshooting and problem solving
- Ensure daily, weekly, monthly, and all preventive maintenance as needed is completed on a timely manner.
- Reviewing maintenance logs monthly with section pathologists to address any issues as needed
- Ensuring compliance with CAP regulations and individual instrument maintenance schedules
Medical Laboratory Scientist MLS(ASCP)cm at Blount Memorial Hospital (2018-01 – 2026-02)
Included below are some of the job duties, experience, and responsibilities included in my role as a Medical Laboratory Scientist / Generalist:
- Performing laboratory testing on several different patient specimen types, utilizing the following analyzers:
- Beckman Coulter AU5800 chemistry analyzers
- Beckman Coulter DXI800 / DXI9000 immunoassay analyzer
- Sysmex CA2500 coagulation analyzer
- Beckman Coulter DXH hematology analyzer
- Siemens Centaur chemistry analyzer
- Griffols Erytra blood bank automated analyzer
- Beckman Coulter DxU Iris microscopic urinalysis analyzer
- Arkray Aution Max microscopic urinalyzis analyzer
- Accurate communication of all patient results and critical values to providers and health care facilities. This includes ensuring the integrity of the specimens, verifying expected vs actual results, ordering or recommending recollections on an as-needed basis, and discussing results or analytical questions with providers.
- Performing daily, weekly, and as-needed preventative maintenance on all laboratory equipment. This includes accurate record-keeping of tasks, and communication with company representatives to discuss problems and trouble-shooting.
- Supervised and worked to IT to validate move to new Remisol 'cloud' server. This included validation of all instrument triggers for all analytes performed in the laboratory, and ensuring that all data was transmitted correctly to the LIS.
- Experience with EPIC software, including: result reporting and verification, specimen tracking, verification of patient demographics, specimen requirements, test ordering, etc.
- Acted as lead technologist, point of contact, and trainer for installation of new Beckman Coulter DxI analyzers. This included receiving new user training at the Beckman campus in Brea, CA, and leading/coordinating training sessions with other technologists to ensure training requirements were completed correctly and on time.
- Accurate and efficient handling of patient specimens. This includes processing specimens, working with providers to ensure accurate collection types and methods, and performing pre-analytical steps to ensure accurate results. In addition:
- Investigation of lost or misplaced specimens. This includes researching specimen tracking information and locating personnel attached to specimens.
- In cases where specimen type or preparation was incorrect, communicated issues and worked with providers to accurately train personnel involved on best-practices and required specimen collection requirements.
- Directly communicating with providers to assist with test menu selection and ensure the tests selected are meeting the patient/provider requirements.
- Ensuring both in-house and send-out testing meets pre-analytical and all applicable specimen handling and collection requirements.
