Medical Laboratory Technician - Tasks and specialisations
Kaihangarau Taiwhanga Rongoā
Tasks & duties
Medical laboratory technicians may do some or all of the following:
- prepare slides of blood and other fluids for examination under a microscope
- follow set procedures when performing tests
- perform tests on blood, body fluids and body tissues
- test blood for blood groups and match blood for transfusion
- examine cultures for bacteria that can cause disease in patients
- perform antibiotic sensitivity testing
- operate and maintain laboratory testing equipment
- collect blood samples and body fluids from patients for laboratory testing
- work under the supervision of a medical laboratory scientist and/or a pathologist.
Alex Burge locating bacteria on a plate
Specialisations
Medical laboratory technicians may specialise in one or more of the following areas:
- biochemistry
- microbiology
- haematology (blood)
- transfusion science (blood transfusion)
- histology (tissues)
- cytology (cells)
- immunology (immune system).
Updated
September 2009
