Medical Lab Technician - Microbiology at Common Spirit Health in Tacoma, Washington

Job Description:

In 2020, united in a fierce commitment to deliver the highest quality care and exceptional patient experience, Virginia Mason and CHI Franciscan Health came together as natural partners to build a new health system centered around the patient: Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. Our combined system builds upon the scale and expertise of our nearly 300 sites of care, including 11 hospitals and nearly 5,000 physicians and providers. Together, we are empowered to make an even greater impact on the health and well-being of our communities. 

CHI Franciscan and Virginia Mason are now united to build the future of patient-centered care across the Pacific Northwest. That means a seamlessly connected system offering quality care close to home. From basic health needs to the most complex, highly specialized care, our patients can count on us to meet their needs with convenient access to the region’s most prestigious experts and innovative treatments and technologies. 

Job Summary

Performs moderately complex to highly complex and specialized clinical laboratory tests/analyses using manual or automated techniques to obtain data for use in the diagnosis, management and treatment of disease/injury. Specific areas of accountability may include one, or a combination of, the following disciplines: transfusion service, microbiology, chemistry, coagulation, hematology, immunology, and urinalysis. Work includes 1) pretesting and processing samples, 2) performing, analyzing, interpreting, and confirming tests, 3) documenting and delivering timely test results and 4) operating and maintaining standard Lab instrumentation and equipment.

Given the critical importance of test results to patient care and clinical outcomes, an incumbent is accountable for ensuring the accuracy of test results and related analyses based on adherence to established standards, procedures and regulatory requirements for test analysis, quality control, quality assurance, safety, blood-borne pathogen/infection control, specimen handling/processing and documenting/reporting patient results. While controls may affect certain decision –making opportunities, an incumbent is expected to exercise sound judgment to monitor, control, and assess tests conditions, specimen quality, chemical/biologic reactions, and instrument function. An MLT is expected to seek advice from a Tech-in-Charge or an MT when the ability to resolve a problem is limited by training or experience.

Work requires knowledge of the major disciplines of laboratory practice (e.g. blood bank, chemistry, hematology, coagulation, immunology, urinalysis, and microbiology). An incumbent applies knowledge of scientific principles and theory to determine the causes or possible significance of abnormalities and departures from the norm when test results do not conform to expectations.

Incumbents are also accountable for: 1) meeting technical training requirements, 2) maintaining awareness of procedure changes, 3) updating knowledge, skills and applying those competencies, and 4) following department standards for excellence.

Essential Job Duties

• Performs pretesting and processing samples (Pre-Analytic).


• Evaluates and reports patient results for use in the diagnosis and treatment of disease for patients of all ages (Post-Analytic).


• Performs and evaluates quality control to ensure quality patient care.


• Maintains standard laboratory instrumentation and equipment.

Education/Work Experience Requirements

• Associate degree and completion of an accredited MLT/MT program OR the equivalent education and experience that qualifies for national registration through the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP).


• One year of clinical laboratory experience in the last five years is preferred.

Licensure/Certification:

• National Registration as an MLT(ASCP)CM, MLT(ASCP) or equivalent (e.g. AMT), or registry-eligible at date of hire. If not already held, national certification must be obtained within six months of date of hire.


• Depending on assignment, current certification through Washington State as a Medical Assistant-Phlebotomy may be required. Where applicable, certification as a Medical Assistant-Phlebotomy must be obtained within eight (8) weeks of assignment. Phlebotomy duties will be assigned once the incumbent receives certification as a Medical Assistant-Phlebotomy.

Related Skills:  Medical Lab Technician, Med Lab Tech, Medical Laboratory Scientist, MLT, ASCP, Lab, Laboratory

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