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Hospital Laboratory Technician
UCI Series Concepts
Class Specifications - H.45
Hospital Laboratory Technician IV - 8973
Hospital Laboratory Technician III - 8974
Hospital Laboratory Technician II - 8975
Hospital Laboratory Technician I - 8976
June, 1976
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SERIES CONCEPT
Hospital Laboratory Technicians perform or supervise the performance of
a wide variety of technical procedures in a hospital laboratory or other
facility directly involved in patient-care activities; and perform other
related duties as required.
The technical determinations made or supervised are in one or more
fields of hospital or laboratory procedure, and either directly or
indirectly yield technical data about patients. The fields include
biochemistry, microbiology, hematology, hemodialysis, and may include
specialized work in areas such as ophthalmology, dental prosthetics, and
pathology. Installation, operation, and maintenance of laboratory
equipment and instruments may be a secondary, but essential part of the
duties. The primary usage of the technical data yielded is related to
direct patient care; however, this data may be used for research
purposes secondarily.
The Hospital Laboratory Technician series consists of four classes which
are differentiated either by the type of supervision exercised, or for a
nonsupervisory position, the complexity of technical determinations
made. Generally, the more repetitive technical determinations are made
in the entry level Hospital Laboratory Technician I and operational
level Hospital Laboratory Technician II classes. The higher level
classes are characterized by either a degree of supervision over a
number of personnel or the performance of more complex, specialized or
developmental work. The developmental work performed may consist of
improving methodologies, procedures and equipment used, and may include
publication of studies and reports, with patient care rather than basic
research the primary objective.
The Hospital Laboratory Technician series is differentiated from the
Clinical Laboratory Technologist series by the absence of licensure
requirements. It is differentiated from the Staff Research Associate
series primarily by the usage of the technical data yielded. For the
Staff Research Associate series, technical data yielded is used
primarily for research and teaching, secondarily for public service such
as patient care; whereas the converse is the case for the Hospital
Laboratory Technician series.
The examples cited in the class concepts are illustrative and do not
preclude allocation to the series of positions requiring equivalent
technical knowledge and skill, and that meet the basic patient care
orientation intended in this series.
CLASS CONCEPTS
Hospital Laboratory Technician IV
Under direction, incumbents may perform either a) supervisory duties,
such as direction of the work of a large laboratory, or section involved
in patient care activities or supporting services, or b) nonsupervisory
duties, such as performance of non-repetitive specialized procedures and
developmental work or methodologies used in patient care. Positions which
are primarily supervisory usually involve laboratory management over (a)
one Hospital Laboratory Technician III or (b) three Hospital Laboratory
Technician II's or comparable level positions.
Hospital Laboratory Technician IV positions differ from Hospital
Laboratory Technician III positions in that they involve either (a)
greater laboratory management over personnel in higher level classes, or
(b) developmental work in addition to complex specialized procedures for
non-supervisory positions.
Hospital Laboratory Technician IV positions differ from Staff Research
Associate IV positions in their primary emphasis on patient care, rather
than research or teaching. Developmental work performed at the Hospital
Laboratory Technician IV level has application in improvement of
methodologies Used in patient care.
Examples:
1. Under medical direction, supervises the technical procedures in a
Clinical Laboratory section, including direction of six Hospital
Laboratory Technicians; trains subordinates, schedules work, maintains
records and makes reports; and performs developmental work on
methodologies including publication such as an operations manual for new
and existing techniques.
2. Within the Clinical Laboratories, performs the Updating and
troubleshooting of existing methodologies; develops, researches,
implements, and evaluates new procedures and equipment. Such positions
may involve on-going production areas, such as developing, implementing
and evaluating methodologies involved with the use of Automatic Clinical
Analyzers, or they may be involved in such areas as toxicology and
endocrinology.
Hospital Laboratory Technician III
Under general supervision incumbents may perform either (a) supervisory
duties such as directing the work of a medium-sized laboratory, section,
or other facility involved in patient care activities or directly
supporting services; or (b) non-supervisory duties that require
performance of non-repetitive complex specialized work involved with
methodologies used in patient care. Supervisory positions typically
carry responsibility for laboratory or section management and
supervision of at least one Hospital Laboratory Technician II, or two
Hospital Laboratory Technician I's, or comparable level positions.
Incumbents may also be required to perform such tasks as standardizing
techniques and procedures, preparing standardized materials and
reagents, and training subordinate staff members and checking the
accuracy of their work.
Non-supervisory positions at the Hospital Laboratory Technician III
level differ from those at the Hospital Laboratory Technician IV level
in that they perform complex specialized tasks that are not
developmental, and that while requiring great skill, utilize established
procedures.
Examples:
1. Supervises the patient care activities performed in such areas as a
Nuclear Medicine Clinic, Pulmonary Function Laboratory, or an Adult
Catheterization Laboratory. The technical duties performed within each
area usually include such procedures as collecting of blood samples and
analyzing for oxygen content within the Adult Catheterization Laboratory;
testing of patients for pulmonary disease and using blood gas analyzers
within a Pulmonary Function section; or performing scans of organs within
a Nuclear Medicine Clinic.
2. Within a Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic, performs non-supervisor
functions involving non-repetitive complex tasks such as fabrication of
various types of oral prostheses. This may include set-up of artificial
teeth for unusual denture cases, fabrication on stone duplicate molds,
investment and casting of metal molds from linotype material, and
polishing and finishing cast molds for facial prostheses.
3. Within an Ophthalmology Clinic, performs non-supervisory functions
involving non-repetitive specialized tasks such as fabrication of
Scheral and Corneal Contact Lenses by making molded impressions of the
eye, constructing, fitting and adjusting lens to the patient's eye, and
instructing the physician and patient on adjustment and removal
techniques.
Hospital Laboratory Technician II
Under general supervision, incumbents perform a wide variety of
repetitive technical procedures of the kind described under the Series
Concept, at the operational level of skill; or perform a limited variety
of repetitive but specialized laboratory procedures requiring a high
level of skill, finesse, and judgment in one specialized field of work.
Examples of assignments allocated to this level of difficulty and
responsibility are:
Chemical technician in a hemodialysis unit, performing a wide variety of
repetitive chemistry determinations on patient body fluids and
dialysate, with a high degree of accuracy and volume of production.
Clinical Laboratory technician (without license) in a hospital
laboratory or facility performing a wide variety of repetitive,
standardized tests; and in addition may perform tests on patients for
pulmonary disease within the Pulmonary Function section by using blood
gas analyzers; or may work in the Immunology section modifying standard
kits for certain specialized immunological procedures.
Blood bank technician (without license), performing repetitive,
standardized procedures on blood, such as blood typing, Rh factor
determination, crossmatching, and other techniques required in unusual
cases.
Hemodialysis technician (without license) in a hemodialysis unit,
responsible for the operation and servicing of equipment and system,
during and between dialysis runs, and for instruction of patients and
family members.
Incumbents may work alone without technical supervision to provide
shift, weekend and holiday coverage. Incumbents may have responsibility
for demonstrating technical procedures and instructing others,
including staff members, students, and/or patients, but supervisory
responsibility is not required at this level.
Hospital Laboratory Technician I
Under supervision, incumbents perform repetitive, technical laboratory
procedures that require special training and skill typically with
theoretical background in one scientific field. The fields of work are
those indicated in the Series Concept and further illustrated by the
examples in the Class Concept for Hospital Laboratory Technician II.
Incumbents usually perform duties of limited variety and work under
close technical supervision, in their initial assignments. Incumbents
may usually expect to advance to Hospital Laboratory Technician II after
having demonstrated the ability to perform the full scope of duties, at
acceptable levels of quality and quantity, normally required of the
operational level in the field of work.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Educational and experience requirements vary according to the nature of
the position, and whether it is supervisory or nonsupervisory. All
classes require at least graduation from high school.
Hospital Laboratory Technician IV
Graduation from college with a major in an applicable natural science
plus four years of experience in the kind of work to be performed; or an
equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledges and
abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned
to the position.
Hospital Laboratory Technician III
Graduation from college with a major in an applicable natural science
plus two years of experience in the kind of work to be performed; or an
equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledges and
abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned
to the position.
Hospital Laboratory Technician II
Graduation from college with a major in an applicable natural science
plus one year of experience in the kind of work to be performed; or an
equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledges and
abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned
to the position.
Hospital Laboratory Technician I
Graduation from college with a major in an applicable natural science;
or two years of college courses in the natural sciences plus two years
of applicable experience; or an equivalent combination of education and
experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful
performance of the duties assigned to the position.
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