What does a clinical laboratory assistant do?
A clinical laboratory assistant specializes in performing support tasks in a laboratory or similar setting using their in-depth knowledge. They are primarily responsible for assisting researchers, preparing samples and apparatus, conducting experiments and analysis, maintaining extensive documentation of all processes and results, and reporting to management. Moreover, a clinical laboratory assistant is also responsible for gathering necessary information before beginning studies and maintaining the laboratory's cleanliness and sanitation. It is vital to implement all the safety rules and regulations to ensure a safe and productive work environment.
Clinical laboratory assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real clinical laboratory assistant resumes:
- Achieve PHLEBOTOMY duties utilizing proper infection control techniques and perform a variety of laboratory tests.
- Process specimen, recollect and deliver to chemistry, microbiology, molecular or hematology departments for testing.
- Receive specimens for microbiology, histology, cytology, anatomic pathology and hematology tests/procedures, checks for proper identification and requisition.
- Operate EKG and other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
- Transfer of samples from racks to centrifuges and decant station.
- Administer EKG's, clean wounds, draw labs, and apply dressings.
- Perform CLIA waive laboratory testing.
- Perform routine urinalysis on CLIA waive instruments.
- Perform hematology, parasitology and urinalysis test.
- Set up special chemistry specimens and prepare send-outs for reference laboratories.
- Perform basic maintenance checks on laboratory equipment (centrifuges and refrigerators).
- Place and prepare patients in exam room for doctor evaluation or laboratory procedure.
- Perform testing and maintain patient documentation in all departments of clinical hematology and urinalysis laboratory.
- Differentiate between significant and insignificant laboratory findings base on patients' clinical history and tests results.
- Perform a variety of clinical support duties involve in the identification and processing of clinical specimens and phlebotomy collection.
Clinical laboratory assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Clinical Laboratory Assistants are proficient in Patients, Phlebotomy, and Clinical Lab. They’re also known for soft skills such as Compassion, Detail oriented, and Dexterity.
We break down the percentage of Clinical Laboratory Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 17%
Differentiated between significant and insignificant laboratory findings based on patients' clinical history and tests results.
- Phlebotomy, 14%
Perform a variety of clinical support duties involved in the identification and processing of clinical specimens and phlebotomy collection.
- Clinical Lab, 7%
Worked with a team of clinical laboratory scientists and veterinary clinical pathologists to evaluate biologic samples for evidence of disease.
- Customer Service, 6%
Provided excellent customer service and professionalism, also performed and submitted environmental safety checks.
- Specimen Collection, 4%
Assist Physicians/Nurse Practitioners with various laboratory test requirements for proper specimen collection and precise patient diagnosis.
- Patient Care, 4%
Communicate effectively with all diagnostic departments and hospital staff to coordinate and schedule patient care accurately and expeditiously.
Most clinical laboratory assistants use their skills in "patients," "phlebotomy," and "clinical lab" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential clinical laboratory assistant responsibilities here:
Compassion. The most essential soft skill for a clinical laboratory assistant to carry out their responsibilities is compassion. This skill is important for the role because "some patients become anxious about having blood drawn, so phlebotomists should be considerate in performing their duties." Additionally, a clinical laboratory assistant resume shows how their duties depend on compassion: "explain fluid or tissue collection procedures to patients in a way that is compassionate and understandable. "
Detail oriented. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling clinical laboratory assistant duties is detail oriented. The role rewards competence in this skill because "phlebotomists must draw the correct amount of blood for the tests ordered, carefully label the vials collected, and enter information into a database to avoid misplacing samples or injuring patients." According to a clinical laboratory assistant resume, here's how clinical laboratory assistants can utilize detail oriented in their job responsibilities: "process specimens for outpatient and inpatient with detail, to ensure all special handling and transport requirements are met. "
Dexterity. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of clinical laboratory assistants is dexterity. This skill is critical to many everyday clinical laboratory assistant duties, as "phlebotomists must be able to use their equipment efficiently to minimize patients’ discomfort." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "assisted patients with feeding, bathing, dressing, hygiene, grooming, lifting, and transferring. "
Physical stamina. A commonly-found skill in clinical laboratory assistant job descriptions, "physical stamina" is essential to what clinical laboratory assistants do. Clinical laboratory assistant responsibilities rely on this skill because "phlebotomists stand for long periods and are often on the move throughout the workday." You can also see how clinical laboratory assistant duties rely on physical stamina in this resume example: "performed physical assessments and led patient care skills labs with students. "
The three companies that hire the most clinical laboratory assistants are:
- Atlantic Health29 clinical laboratory assistants jobs
- Kettering Health Network18 clinical laboratory assistants jobs
- LifePoint Health17 clinical laboratory assistants jobs
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Compare different clinical laboratory assistants
Clinical laboratory assistant vs. Certified pharmacist technician
A certified pharmacist technician is responsible for assisting patients by providing medicines based on their needs or their physicians' prescriptions. Certified pharmacist technicians must be able to supply the correct medications, including the right dosage to patients. They must also have a broad understanding of the medical industry, providing medicinal information to patients and referring them to the right health professionals as needed. Certified pharmacist technicians also monitor medicine inventories, manage supplies, and create sales reports.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a clinical laboratory assistant are more likely to require skills like "phlebotomy," "clinical lab," "customer service," and "specimen collection." On the other hand, a job as a certified pharmacist technician requires skills like "direct supervision," "math," "telephone calls," and "inventory control." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Certified pharmacist technicians earn the highest salaries when working in the health care industry, with an average yearly salary of $37,078. On the other hand, clinical laboratory assistants are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $34,141.certified pharmacist technicians tend to reach similar levels of education than clinical laboratory assistants. In fact, certified pharmacist technicians are 1.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Clinical laboratory assistant vs. Pharmacist technician
Pharmacist technicians assist pharmacists in their daily activities. They receive prescription medicine order requests of customers, validate the prescription, prepare the medicines, properly label medicine bottles, and hand them off to customers. They also answer customer inquiries and attend to customer concerns. Pharmacist technicians also manage the pharmacy's inventory and ensure that all records are up to date. They are also authorized to create purchase requisition requests for medicines that are running low and need to be refilled, but these requests should still be authorized by a doctor.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that clinical laboratory assistant responsibilities requires skills like "phlebotomy," "clinical lab," "customer service," and "specimen collection." But a pharmacist technician might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "math," "direct supervision," "collective bargaining," and "telephone calls."
On average, pharmacist technicians earn a higher salary than clinical laboratory assistants. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, pharmacist technicians earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $36,689. Whereas clinical laboratory assistants have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $34,141.pharmacist technicians earn similar levels of education than clinical laboratory assistants in general. They're 1.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clinical laboratory assistant vs. Histologic technician
A Histologic Technician prepares tissue specimens for routine and special procedures to confirm a patient diagnosis. They work in hospital laboratories, government agencies, public health departments, and other institutions.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a clinical laboratory assistant is likely to be skilled in "phlebotomy," "clinical lab," "customer service," and "specimen collection," while a typical histologic technician is skilled in "ascp," "tissue specimens," "ihc," and "sectioning."
Most histologic technicians achieve a similar degree level compared to clinical laboratory assistants. For example, they're 1.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clinical laboratory assistant vs. Medical technologist
A medical technologist's role is to conduct laboratory tests with accuracy and speed. It is their responsibility to gather, prepare, and analyze samples such as blood, tissues, and bodily fluid. The produced results will be crucial to a patient's diagnosis and further treatments. It is also essential for medical technologists to keep a precise record of data and coordinate with fellow team members and physicians to ensure the fast and efficient delivery of results. Furthermore, a medical technologist can choose to work in different establishments such as a hospital, laboratory, or private clinic.
Types of clinical laboratory assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
