Working in the lab at Perham Health is a bit like being a detective on the healthcare team. If providers suspect that a patient has a bladder infection, certain cancers, or is having a heart attack, they order labs, and the lab team runs the tests and helps figure out what’s going on.

The hospital lab is an exciting and bustling place, but most patients don’t give it a second thought.

The Perham Health lab team is comprised of 17 medical lab scientists, phlebotomists, and medical lab technicians. Each day, they run about 380 tests. Every patient needs lab work done at some point.

We want to shine a light on the great work that they do.

What do they do in the lab?

As a medical lab scientist (MLS), Kaley Nord runs tests on various body fluids and gives the results to the ordering provider to help diagnose.

A typical lab test is for a suspected bladder infection. “For a bladder infection, I take the urine, run it on a machine, and then look at it under the microscope. If white blood cells and bacteria are present, I know there’s an infection. Next, I place the sample on plates and grow the organisms in an incubator. Then, I set the sample up on another machine to identify it. Once identified, I can tell the provider which antibiotics will work best against the infection,” she explains.

As a phlebotomist, Jason Bolinger specializes in collecting body fluids, from blood to fecal matter to urine and saliva.

“Much of my day is drawing people’s blood, but I collect other samples too. I also process the specimens and run certain tests,” he says.

What’s a typical day like?

The lab consists of various departments: microbiology, hematology, chemistry, urinalysis, blood bank, and immunology. Each day, Kaley is assigned to a department where she runs tests.

“Each day, I calibrate the machine when needed and make sure that all of our quality control checks are within range so that we give accurate results. Then I run the test. A machine runs some, and some are done by hand. I might add a reagent, look under a microscope, or grow something in an incubator. Every day and every department is different,” she says.

Jason’s typical day involves collecting samples from patients. “I see a ton of patients each day in the clinic, hospital, and, every so often, the nursing home. I also help run labs for the emergency department and respond to various codes in the hospital. It takes a lot of time, practice, and patience, and sometimes, it takes a special touch,” he explains.

What got them interested in a lab career?

In high school, Kaley liked science and learning about the body, and a career placement test suggested lab scientist. When she researched the career, she found out that it was hands-on and ran tests that sounded interesting.

Jason was working in hospital security in Colorado and became friends with one of the lab scientists. The friend saw something in Jason and encouraged him to join the lab team by becoming a phlebotomist. That was 23 years ago.

What do they like about their lab jobs?

“It’s like science problem-solving. That’s fun in my eyes. I like the variety, and I like helping patients behind the scenes. The team is great! We help each other out,” she explains.

Jason loves the patient contact. “I like chatting up people while drawing their blood, and I try to reassure them that everything will be okay. Every day can be wildly different, and I like that,” says Jason.

What makes their jobs challenging?

“The lab is open 24/7, which can be challenging at night. It can get stressful when you’re all by yourself and the hospital or the emergency room gets slammed. You just take it one step at a time. Being busy makes the night go by really fast,” Kaley says.

Some people get nervous having their blood drawn, so Jason distracts them. “I talk about everything from fishing to shopping to the weather. Most of the time, my patients are pleasantly surprised that we’re done and don’t believe they’ve been stuck yet,” says Jason.

What do they wish people knew about the lab?

Jason says, “The lab is an incredibly busy, dynamic, and bustling place pretty much all the time. I wish people knew that they’re not the only patients depending on the lab. We can only take one patient at a time.”

“I want our patients to know that even though we may not see them face-to-face, everyone in the lab truly cares about our patients. Our goal is to give accurate results so that their providers know what’s happening with their bodies. I would also like people to know that if you get called back to repeat a test, it might be because your blood hemolyzed during the collection process, not because we did something wrong in the lab,” Kaley explains.

Advice they have for someone looking for a career in the lab

“Sometimes it’s easier and less expensive to start as a medical technician with a two-year degree. It’s still a fun and good-paying job. I worked for five and a half years before returning to become a medical scientist. If you like science, are curious about how the body works, and like being behind the scenes, the lab is a good choice,” Kaley says.

Jason advises, “Hone your people and communication skills. That’s paramount. Be friendly, proficient, and prompt. That is what people appreciate the most about what I do. I encourage you to come and job shadow to see what it is like.”

What they like about working at Perham Health

Kaley likes the flexibility. “I’ve been here six years, and I appreciate having understanding and flexible bosses. Most importantly, they care about employees from administration on down. I’m very appreciative of Perham Health.”

Jason agrees, “I’ve been here four years, and the culture is amazing. It’s like no other place that I’ve worked. It’s not about the bottom line, as it is at many other places, and the compensation is fantastic. The people that I get to work with are truly gifted and talented. It’s a next-level organization.”

Interested in a career in the lab? Consider job shadowing to learn more.

About Perham Health 

Perham Health is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital with three primary care clinics, a 96-bed nursing home, home health care agency, adult day services, memory care assisted living, and senior housing.  The medical staff consists of 24 physicians, a nurse midwife, 14 advance practice clinicians, and three chiropractors. Visit perhamhealth.org to learn more.