ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
A student accepted into the SEMC School of Medical Technology is classified as a temporary associate of St. Elizabeth Medical Center. The Medical Center is committed to equal opportunity in all employment practices and will not discriminate, retaliate, or limit in any way that which could deprive an individual of employment opportunities because of sex, race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, age or disability. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Medical Center does not discriminate against ‘qualified’ individuals with physical or mental disabilities with regard to applications, hiring, training or other conditions or privileges of employment. A qualified individual is one who can perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations. Essential functions for the SEMC School of Medical Technology are outlined below:
Performance Requirements
- Collect quality samples according to laboratory policies and procedures for the accurate and timely completion of testing
- Perform analytical tests on blood, body fluids, tissues, etc. to obtain results needed for patient care
- Handle blood and body fluid specimens according to standard operating procedure to ensure that the specimens which reach the lab are in the best possible condition
- Clean, organize, and stock lab work stations so work can be performed in a safe and orderly manner
Observation Requirements
- Observe laboratory demonstrations in which biologicals (e.g. body fluids, culture materials, tissue sections, and cellular specimens) are tested for their biochemical, hematological, microbiological, and immunologic components
- Characterize the color, odor, clarity, and viscosity of biologicals, reagents, or chemical reaction products;
- Distinguish and identify objects macroscopically
- Utilize a clinical grade binocular microscope to discriminate among fine structural differences of microscopic specimens
- Read and comprehend text, numbers, and graphs displayed in print and on a video/computer monitor
Movement /Physical Requirements
- Move freely and safely about a laboratory
- Reach laboratory bench tops and shelves, patients lying in hospital beds or patients in a sitting position
- Travel between SEMC facilities for practical experience
- Perform moderately taxing continuous physical work, often requiring prolonged sitting or standing over several hours
- Maneuver phlebotomy and specimen collection equipment to safely collect valid laboratory samples from both inpatients and outpatients
- Perform delicate manipulations on specimens (e.g. pipetting, inoculating), patients (digital identification of veins) and instruments (adjusting, calibrating) in performing laboratory procedures
- Interact with computer terminals and keyboards, requiring interpretation of visual aspects on the screen, repetitive hand movements, and finger dexterity to calculate, record, evaluate, and transmit laboratory information
Communication Requirements
- Read and comprehend technical and professional materials (e.g. textbooks, magazines, journal articles, handbooks, and instruction manuals)
- Follow verbal and written instructions in order to correctly and independently perform laboratory test procedures
- Clearly instruct patients on specimen collection requirements to insure appropriate collections
- Effectively, confidentially, and sensitively converse with patients regarding laboratory tests
- Evaluate the performance of fellow students, staff, and healthcare professionals verbally and in a recorded format (writing, typing, graphics, or telecommunications)
- Use computer software (word processor, spreadsheet, database, information systems), the Internet, and the World Wide Web for communication, education, and professional purposes
- Independently prepare papers and laboratory reports
- Complete examinations provided, whether on paper, computer, or laboratory practical format
Intellectual Requirements
- Possess these intellectual skills; comprehension, measurement, mathematical calculation, reasoning, integration, analysis, comparison, self-expression, and criticism;
- Be able to solve problems and think critically
- Exercise sufficient judgment to recognize and correct performance deviations;
- Critically evaluate her or his own performance, accept constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve performance
Behavior Requirements
- Dress to project a neat, well-groomed, professional appearance
- Behave in a professional manner toward fellow students, faculty, and patients
- Manage the use of time in order to complete professional and technical tasks within realistic constraints
- Possess the emotional health necessary to effectively employ intellect and exercise appropriate judgment
- Provide professional and technical services while experiencing emotional or stressful situations, (emotional patients, work under time constraints), emergent demands (e.g. "stat" test orders), and a distracting environment (e.g. high noise levels, crowding, complex visual stimuli)
- Be flexible and creative and adapt to environmental, professional and technical change
- Recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to patients, self, and nearby individuals
- Adapt to working with potentially offensive specimens, chemicals, biologicals
- Support and promote the activities of fellow students and of health care professionals
- Help foster a team approach to learning, task completion, problem solving, and patient care
- Be honest, compassionate, ethical, and responsible, respectful of others, and possess integrity, dependability, accountability, interest, and motivation.
- Be forthright about errors or uncertainty
- Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served within the community
Applicants must be able to read and demonstrate written and oral proficiency in the English Language. Documentation of scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are required. Based on the requirements established by the National Certification Agency for Clinical Laboratory Scientists, the minimum score is 540 for a paper-based test, 207 for a computer-based test. Scores from similar agencies may be considered.
Individuals who possess a foreign baccalaureate degree must submit an official transcript of all college grades to be reviewed by a Foreign Transcript Evaluation Agency. A list of acceptable agencies may be obtained by writing to the following address:
American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry
33 West Monroe, Suite 1600
Chicago, IL 60603
