Duties of a Laboratory Assistant

The laboratory assistant has many duties.

Many laboratory assistants work in hospitals, clinics or private laboratories. A large part of their time is spent helping more senior workers, such as medical laboratory technologists, in the laboratory. Assistants also have many duties of their own, which they must carry out daily to ensure the smooth running of the laboratory.

Preparation and Cleaning

The laboratory assistant must sterilize all equipment.

One of the most important duties of the laboratory assistant is to keep equipment in the laboratory clean and running effectively. The assistant is responsible for preparing cleaning solutions, sterilizing and drying glassware and instruments (often using a hot air dryer and acetone bath for a thorough clean), and inspecting equipment regularly to ensure that it is free from damage. The assistant must also prepare stains, solutions and culture media needed for testing.

Testing

The laboratory assistant must be able to draw blood from patients.

Laboratory assistants in medical laboratories run basic laboratory tests, which may involve attaching blood or tissue specimens to slides. The assistant must count blood cells, work with a centrifuge to separate blood and plasma, follow incubation procedures, and run tests on the specimens, normally on a computer program. The laboratory assistant must also be able to perform venipuncture, draw blood and give the patient instructions for collection of results. The assistant will also carry out tests on stool, urine and saliva samples.

Academic Assistance

The laboratory assistant employed in an educational establishment may assist the academic staff.

Many laboratory assistants are employed in university or college laboratories, where they assist academic staff with many aspects of laboratory use. These include guidance in laboratory health and safety procedures, supervising the preparation and enactment of student demonstrations, and estimating costs for student laboratory fees.

References

• Human Resources; University of California Irvine: Laboratory Assistant UCI Series Concepts