Cytotechnologist - Career description, activities, functions and salary

How much does an Cytotechnologist earn

A Cytotechnologist earns between $1.355 and $7.134 per month, with an average monthly salary of $2.706 and a median salary of $2.000 according to an Averwage.com salary survey along with to data of professionals hired and fired by companies in the labor market.

Our research is based on the salaries of 60 professionals hired and dismissed by the period from 06/2021 to 05/2022 (last year).

Professional job categories

• Middle level technicians
• • middle-level technicians in the biological, biochemical, health sciences
• • • technicians in operation of diagnostic equipment and instruments
• • • • health lab and blood bank technicians

Related Positions:

Main workplaces

Health lab and blood bank technicians they work in clinical laboratories, hospitals, blood banks and public health services. They are salaried employees, with a formal contract, who work in closed environments, and some, on a rotating shift basis. As a rule, they work individually under the supervision of higher-level professionals, such as biochemists, biomedical doctors, doctors, etc. In some of the activities carried out, they are exposed to toxic material, radiation and biological risk.

What does it take to work in the field of Health lab and blood bank technicians

For the exercise of the occupations of this occupational family, a professional technical course is required offered by professional training institutions and technical schools. The full performance of the activities requires experience of less than one year.

Functions and activities of Cytotechnologist

Health lab and blood bank technicians must:

Activities

demonstrate ability to discriminate colors;
puncture veins;
train auxiliary staff;
participate in the development and implementation of new exam techniques;
perform donor pre-screening;
check equipment operation and suitability;
provide statistical data;
compare results with normality parameters;
identify the biological material of the patient/donor;
sample pipette;
sterilize instruments;
spin samples;
demonstrate olfactory ability;
submit periodic health checks;
adjust equipment;
applying complementary biosafety standards;
filter blood bag;
subject samples to heat sources;
dilute biological material;
prepare patient/donor for collection or donation;
test antimicrobial sensitivity;
wash blood bag;
scrape mucous membranes, nails and skin;
supervise the activities of auxiliary staff;
stain slides;
request preventive and corrective maintenance of equipment;
disinfect instruments and equipment;
prepare solutions and reagents;
manage time;
search for biochemical or genetic or hormonal or cytological material from the sample;
supervise auxiliary staff activities;
dose volumetry of reagents and solutions for exams;
analyze exam results;
demonstrate visual acuity;
quantify microorganisms or antibodies or substances through dosages;
compare the exam result with previous results;
separate biological materials from the sample;
control equipment temperature;
package material for disposal;
identify microorganisms;
control stock, validity and batch of inputs;
program equipment;
perform macroscopic analysis;
record the collection action;
administer glucose solution to the patient;
perform microscopic analysis;
perform immunohematological tests;
request new collection;
serve patient/donor;
aliquot samples and/or blood bags;
work as a team;
demonstrate commitment;
provide container to patient;
check the conditions of the biological material;
demonstrate ability to maintain confidentiality;
transcribe observed results;
sieve biological material;
write down the medication the patient/donor is taking;
reject non-compliant biological material;
package sample for transport;
observe patient/donor reaction;
check exam order;
demonstrate fine motor skills;
confront biological material with the order;
record exam procedures;
homogenize samples;
discard chemical and biological waste;
process blood components;
store biological material;
apply complementary biosafety standards;
check patient/donor preparation;
prepare glucose (dextrose) solution;
perform internal quality control;
perform blood transfusion;
track neoplastic cells;
take vaccinations;
place preservatives in samples;
wash red blood cells;
sequence samples;
compare the test result with the patient's clinical data;
amplify nucleic acid;
monitor internal quality of cytological smear;
inactivate biological material;
deproteinize samples;
demonstrate logical reasoning ability;
select sample preparation technique;
care for patient/donor;
forward exams to the person in charge;
make slides (smear);
distribute material to each sector;
irradiate blood components;
submit periodic health examinations;
demonstrate ability to concentrate;
use personal protective equipment (ppe) and collective (epc);
advise patient/donor on material collection procedures;
introduce samples into the equipment;
perform asepsis in the collection region;
dialogue with the donor;
ask for guidance from the technical manager, when necessary;
perform pre-transfusion tests;
clean equipment and bench;
request authorization from the technical manager, when necessary;
isolate microorganisms;

Sectors that hire Cytotechnologist the most in the job market

• pathological and cytological anatomy laboratories
• hospital care activities
• veterinary activities
• clinical laboratories
• long stay institutions for the elderly
• other human health care activities
• agronomy and consultancy services for agricultural and livestock activities
• wholesale of instruments and materials for medical, surgical, hospital and laboratory use
• health plans
• dental activity with resources for performing surgical procedures