Pathology is one of the fastest-growing healthcare sectors, with a workforce of approximately 24,000 across Australia. Pathology results, which include blood tests and urine, saliva, tissue and other non-blood samples, provide medical professionals with important information for diagnosing and treating their patients. A vital role within the pathology industry is pathology collectors.
What do pathology collectors do?
Pathology collectors play an important role in helping medical professionals collect the required samples for testing. You'll most likely work as a pathology collector in a hospital or suburban collection centre. You might even travel to the homes of those who are housebound or to onsite workplaces such as construction sites, aged care facilities and more.
Here are six good reasons to consider pursuing a career in pathology collection:
Flexible Hours
Working in pathology collection means working some of the most sociable hours available in a healthcare role. Many roles are part-time, and pathology collection facilities typically run earlier or later shifts to ensure that samples can be returned to the laboratory for analysis or secure storage before the day ends. This flexibility allows you to balance your work life with other commitments. Pathology is a 24 hour business.
Caring for Others
Healthcare roles are suitable for people who enjoy providing care for others. You'll likely flourish in a pathology role if you're naturally sympathetic and find it easy to talk to people. You'll see patients from all walks of life, and you'll have the chance to speak to them daily. You'll enjoy the same close contact with patients that nurses do, but due to the nature of the role, you'll often see many more different people within a single day.
Clinical Experience
Many roles in healthcare, such as registered nursing, require you to have gained clinical experience in a relaxed setting. This makes a pathology collection course ideal for prospective healthcare professionals looking to get their foot in the door.
For example, the HLT37215 – Certificate III in Pathology Collection course takes about 22 weeks, giving you a quick way to become qualified as a pathology collector and gain essential clinical experience towards advancing your career and seeking more senior roles.
Contribute to the Pathology Industry
The work of a pathology collector is critical in diagnosing and treating illness, and in the advancement of medicine. You'll contribute to an important diagnostic process as a pathology collector. Your work will also require a specific set of specialised skills, including:
- Knowing the appropriate tubes and other equipment to use;
- The conditions in which to store certain kinds of samples;
- Whether patients need to fast before sample collection;
- Knowledge of infection control and health and safety.
Your work will facilitate other peoples' roles, from laboratory staff to doctors, who need your critical input to diagnose their patients. Samples are often used in medical research studies to contribute to and advance knowledge of diseases and treatments. In essence, the role of a pathology collector is a critical link in a broader chain.
Different Working Environments
Pathology collectors work in various settings, including collection centres, doctors' offices, hospitals, pop-up clinics and mobile blood vans. You could find work in many facilities across Australia, giving you a lot of choices when finding work or relocating. Examples include:
- Collection centres - these are usually located at major hospitals and offer convenient access to samples for collection. They may also provide services such as specimen transport, processing and storage.
- Doctors' offices - this is where you'd collect specimens from patients for testing by a doctor. It's common for doctors to send out samples to laboratories for testing, so they don't always need to come into the office themselves.
- Hospitals - this is where you might be employed as a hospital porter, collecting samples from patients and delivering them to the lab.
- Pop-up clinics - these are temporary clinics that can be set up anywhere, offering convenient access to samples for testing. Mobile blood vans - these vehicles travel around cities and towns collecting blood samples from donors. The samples are then transported to a central location for analysis.
Extend into Other Roles
Through further studying and experience, a pathology collector can extend to various types of other roles. Some examples include:
- Clinical assistant - this is a role where you assist a doctor in examining and/or treating a patient. This includes assisting with taking vital signs, drawing blood, administering injections and providing general support.
- Medical technologists - this is a role involving the preparation and analysis of biological fluids and tissues.
- Medical receptionist - this role requires good communication skills and an ability to deal with people. Receptionists may answer phones, book appointments and order tests.
- Specimen courier - this role is where you collect samples from patients and deliver them to labs for testing. You'll often work under the supervision of a pathologist or medical laboratory scientist.
- Enrolled Nurse - this role includes caring for people (individuals, families, groups and communities) in all health care settings.
- Drug of Abuse Pathology Collector - with just one extra unit of competency on top of your pathology collection qualification which All Health Training offer, you can become qualified to collect specimens for drugs of abuse testing. This can be a mobile role or based at a collection centre as per the normal pathology collector role.
What Skills Do Pathology Collectors Need?
Pathology collectors require excellent interpersonal communication abilities, patience and compassion to deal directly with patients. You'll also be required to have organisational skills and an eye for accuracy when documenting and labelling samples. Pathology collectors usually also require flexibility with their work schedule, can work independently and within a group, and are capable of solving problems.
Ready to Start?
Pathology collection is a rewarding career. It offers opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives through diagnosis and treatment.HLT37215 – Certificate III in Pathology Collection is one of the recommended pathways to becoming a pathology collector.
In this course, students learn the essential skills needed to work in all areas of pathology collection, including:
- Pathology collection techniques
- Electrocardiography (ECG)
- Health and safety procedures
- Infection control
- Medical terminology
- First Aid
Book a chat with us today to find out about our upcoming courses and how you can apply today.
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