what do Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians do?

Answer 1

They run tests on blood, urine and other body samples. They usually specialize in either chemistry or microbiology; the chemistry side has become largely a matter of running machines. In microbiology there is still some work with culturing and microscopy. They are generally very well paid but I started a program with clinical rotations and found it incredibly boring- like high status factory work.

Answer 2

actually we prefer to be called Medical Technologists and Medical Technicians.. a fine point but the Clinical thing rubs some of us the wrong way.

the difference in the technologist and technician is the time spent in school for one. technologists have a 4 yr degree in either Biology or Chemistry. also the schools are certified. technicians have a 2 yr program. they are taught how to do the work... not the principles or the why. it is almost a requirement to have a registry of some type to work as either.

there are four departments in the laboratory ...

blood bank.... type and cross matching blood.. transfusing blood.. in larger hospitals ... antibody identification.. unit screenings...

hemotology... running an instrument to do CBC, HH, etc. sed rates, manual differentials, manual cell counts on spinal fluids, body fluids of all sorts. most hemo departments also have the coagulation instruments.. PT, PTT, D-Dimer also, the instrument to do Hgb A1C.. many have Urinalysis also included in hemo... this consists of an instrument that runs the urine for the chemical tests... some manual tests such as an Icto for bilirubin, acetone for ketones in serum, SSA for proteins, pH tests for body fluids, and the inhouse drug screens.

chemistry is very automated... usually there is an instrument for regular chemistries... glucose, BUN, creat, electrolytes, hepatic enzymes, etc and another for drug analysis... antibiotics such as Vancomycin and Gentamycin; B12, Folates, Digoxin, Theo, Acetametaphin, Salicylate, etc.
chemistry usually inherits the send out tests... there are the tests that are not done by the lab and are sent to a reference lab.

even though the instuments are automated they must have some one to put them on to run. they certainly don't run themselves. although at this point the companies that make them are trying to eliminate as many people as they can due to the shortage of med techs. maintainence is done daily by the med techs. also if the instruments break down.. the techs fix them. quality controls must be done on all tests that are run and must be within range. if the QC isn't running correctly the tech must resolve the problem before that test can be run. the applies to all tests automated or manual.

if the lab does the artierial blood gases.. this is yet another instrument to be run, maintained and repaired when not functioning.

also someone must draw the blood. med techs do this in small hospitals. most of the time there is a lab assistant or a phlebotomist that collects the specimens. even a few of the nurses are kind enough to collect on occasion.

then... there are the vast number of phone calls and questions asked concerning lab work that must be addressed.

and last but not least there is the microbiology department.
they have all the cultures to deal with. gram stains.. special tests... blood culture instrumentation, viatec instrumentation that does bacterial identifications...

a med tech must review all lab work to determine if the labs are acceptable and reasonable. they must release all results. all specimens are evaluated by the med tech as to whether they are acceptable or not. then there is the paperwork... reams and reams, boxes and boxes of documents that must be maintained.

we are taught to diagnosis in the even that we see something in the lab work that the overworked stressed doctor just might need to notice too.

as for it being high tech, well paid assembly line work.....
hardly... there is always something to challenge a bright mind.
an instrument problem to resolve, QC outside of the range,
a manual diff with unusual cells.. people aren't machines.. an antibody identification that is like a jigsaw puzzle... a microbe to id that isn't typical. odd crystals to figure out. lab work that doesn't correlate to the patient condition.

base pay for a med tech is reported as a median of 54,171 nation wide.. but it depends upon where you are located.
technicians are reported as a median of 40,285.

i can tell you i have been a Medical Technoligist ASCP for 22 years. the salaries aren't as high as they claim most times. we are overworked, understaffed, overstressed, and under appreciated for the job we do. the hours are odd and often a tech has a full time and part time job. if the lab work doesn't get done a brewhaha develops but management isn't willing to do what it takes to properly staff along with the fact that there just aren't enough med techs.. be they technologists or technicians to fill the existing jobs..... the draw to the job is the challenges that are different every day and the possibility to prehaps help a sick patient get better.
i have yet to meet a med tech that wasn't quirksome or odd in some way.

sorry about the soap box... you asked about the job. =-)

Answer 3

Clinical laboratory technologists perform complex chemical, biological, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological tests.

They microscopically examine blood and other body fluids, making cultures of body fluid and tissue samples, to determine the presence of bacteria, fungi, parasites, or other microorganisms.

They analyze body fluid samples for chemical content or a chemical reaction and determine concentrations of compounds such as blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

They type and cross match blood samples for transfusions.

They test for drug levels in the blood.

They prepare specimens for examination.

They analyze the results and relay them to physicians.

They evaluate test results, develop and modify procedures, and establish and monitor programs, to ensure the accuracy of tests.

==Clinical laboratory technicians perform less complex tests and laboratory procedures than technologists perform.==

Answer 4

they recieve the specimens from the nurses and run the tests on the specimens to determine if there is anything wrong with the patient.