| What do laboratory personnel do? | | | | ice. The accessioning department often finds |
| Well, phlebotomists are trained to draw blood, | | | | these errors with the help of a laboratory |
| known as venipuncture. There are taught to | | | | computer information system, to identify |
| palpate the antecubital space (inside elbow) for | | | | specimen type and volume required. |
| suitable vein in which to draw samples. They are | | | | Now the work is ordered and it goes to the |
| also given a general idea of why certain tests are | | | | laboratory technicians and technologists. These |
| ordered. Also included in their certificate training is | | | | laboratory personnel are highly trained in the |
| order of draw, that is, what color top tubes are | | | | manual and automated testing of body fluids. A |
| drawn first, second, et cetera, if numerous tests | | | | technician has a two year college degree and the |
| are ordered. There is a laboratory protocol for | | | | technologist acquires a four year degree. There |
| that sequence. | | | | jobs require the use of automated equipment for |
| Finally they are instructed to identify patients and | | | | hematology (red and white cell counts) and |
| the specimens they draw, as well as eyeball the | | | | chemistry analysis, for example, electrolytes and |
| patient for possible negative reactions. These | | | | liver function tests. There are hundreds of tests |
| personnel generally like working directly with the | | | | performed by these personnel and they often |
| patients and are the patient's first introduction to | | | | specialize in one or two different departments. |
| the laboratory. They are responsible for easing | | | | Specialists in blood bank, for example, perform |
| the gap between patient and laboratory and have | | | | tests on blood for transfusion medicine. They |
| a great deal of patience. The hospital patient is | | | | make sure donor blood and recipient blood are |
| often frightened, in pain, and on medication. Their | | | | compatible. Other specialized manual testing |
| jobs help the patient feel more at ease and | | | | techniques are done, such as DNA fingerprinting |
| explain why their doctor may have ordered | | | | and immunological testing for antibody levels to |
| certain tests on them. | | | | exposed diseases. |
| Then people work in an accessioning department. | | | | The laboratory is responsible for 70% of |
| These are the people who actually receive the | | | | physician's diagnoses. It is a way to help your |
| samples in the hospital or lab before they get to | | | | community and help people in the health care |
| the laboratory benches. They are proficient in | | | | industry, often without actual patient contact. Lab |
| computer use and carefully review each order, | | | | jobs are rewarding and challenging and the |
| tubes enclosed and patient identifications. They | | | | employees are well educated and unfortunately, |
| enter the orders in the laboratory information | | | | often, overlooked when jobs are particularly well |
| system and if not done already, properly label | | | | done. The laboratorians are often the personnel |
| each specimen. Any discrepancies are generally | | | | whose astute training helps them find microscopic |
| caught at this level and they investigate and help | | | | parasites in a patient's blood or finds abnormal |
| determine what tests are ordered and what type | | | | proteins or cells in the body. Their reports are the |
| of samples are needed. Sometimes, if a patient is | | | | ones doctors rely on the most when diagnosing |
| very ill or at testing in another area of the | | | | and treating a patient. |
| hospital, a nurse or doctor performs the blood | | | | The laboratory personnel work at their lab jobs |
| draw. On occasion, the wrong specimen tube is | | | | as a team of finely tuned personnel to get |
| received or it is not collected correctly, say, on | | | | analyses done quickly and accurately. |