Supervisor, Laboratory Operations (Blood Bank)

Nemours is seeking a Supervisor, Laboratory Operations (Blood Bank), to join our Nemours Children's Health team in Wilmington, Delaware.  

Competitive Sign on Bonus offered (external applicants only)

A hybrid work model will be considered.

Supervisor to assist the Laboratory Manager with the blood bank's day-to-day operations and related human resource management and customer service areas. The candidate must work collaboratively with the BB Medical Director, physicians, patient care staff, reference labs, and other business partners to optimize Blood Banking practice while maintaining accreditation and licensure.  

Personnel development, coaching, and mentoring of technical staff.  Developing personnel goals, tasks, and service standards to set high morale and motivation within the Blood Bank.  Maintaining training files for staff members; and for training and competency evaluation of the Blood Bank staff. 
Coordinating and working at the bench with technical staff on a day-to-day basis.  Ensuring that technical procedures are performed according to the SOP under the highest standards of quality promptly.  Review of Antibody Identification Workups, Transfusion Reaction Workups, ABO Discrepancy Workups, and result exception reports.

• Ensures the correct performance of tests in the assigned section, supervising staff performing these tests. Ensures that staff  have been trained in procedures, including completion of technical training checklists. Reviews the performance of tests in the assigned section including review of daily test performance and reports as needed. Initiates corrective action as needed and performs any necessary follow-up. Communicates the results of these reviews as needed to the Administrative Director, Medical Director or other as appropriate.
• Ensures that technical procedures are written following established guidelines. Reviews procedures according to relevant regulatory guidelines.  
• Establishes and monitors section quality control procedures following regulatory guidelines, initiating any corrective action needed and ensuring that documentation is complete. Reviews QC charts, reports, proficiency testing, etc. and reports this information as needed, maintaining documentation of these for further review and for regulatory inspection. 
• Participates in departmental and hospital programs for Quality Assessment and Improvement, identifying opportunities to improve services, making recommendations and implementing actions as appropriate and consistent with the goals of  Nemours  . Works to identify and prevent problems and to establish systems which enhance the laboratory’s ability to provide services in a timely, accurate and cost efficient fashion. Reviews problem reports, recommends actions for improvement, develops strategies for improvement in concert with laboratory administration and monitors the progress of changes.
• Participates in the recruitment of staff, making hiring and promotion decisions.
• Trains, evaluates and counsels section employees. Reviews section technical staff competency. Also evaluates staff performance according to regulatory guidelines. Initiates retraining for employees as needed. Ensures that staff participate in appropriate continuing education programs, especially those designed to enhance knowledge appropriate to job performance.
• Schedules section employees, ensuring appropriate section coverage, reviewing schedules with others (e.g., shift supervisor, laboratory administration) as needed to ensure that laboratory services are not interrupted. In scheduling, avoids overtime where possible. Rotates section employees to increase staffing flexibility and to maintain staff competency on appropriate section “benches” as needed. Evaluates staff time-off requests in a fair manner, which ensures appropriate staffing levels.
• Selects, implements and maintains technical equipment for section, writing justification for capital equipment, and evaluating cost-benefit of various alternatives and makes recommendations to laboratory administration.
• Maintains knowledge of section technical requirements, especially regulatory requirements. Maintains laboratory section’s readiness for inspections. Informs laboratory administration of compliance problems and makes plans to correct such failures and carries out these plans as appropriate. Participates in section’s inspections, reviewing deficiencies and correcting as needed or assigned.
• Maintains section supply inventory at appropriate levels.  Reviews problems related to supplies.
• Follows all laboratory and hospital safety policies (including, but not limited to chemical safety, e.g., the laboratory’s Chemical Hygiene Plan, infection control policies, etc.) and reviews safety issues as needed. Must be able to perform functions using personal protective equipment and barrier protection, such as disposable gloves, laboratory coats, shields, goggles, etc. Must be able to handle a variety of hazardous materials, such as chemicals and pathogenic organisms. Handles hazardous materials using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); ensures hazardous waste is accurately labeled, stored and maintained in appropriate type of sealed container, when readied for removal from department. Assists with maintaining appropriate documentation. Ensures that staff adhere to safety procedures and that staff receive training or retraining as needed or required. Reports safety concerns appropriately, e.g., laboratory administration  or Safety Coordinator, and helps with planning to improve safety of the laboratory.

Job Requirements

• B. S. in Medical Technology (B.S.M.T. or equivalent, e.g., HHS examination or ability to meet CLIA qualifications for Moderate complexity laboratory testing).
• Minimum of 3 years of experience as a supervisor or team lead required.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Medical Laboratory Scientist required.
• Nationally/Internationally recognized certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist or equivalent (ASCP, AAB, or AMT) eligible.  Must obtain within 6 months of hire date.

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