If you enjoy solving medical mysteries and puzzles, a career in medical laboratory science may be for you.
“I get to be a detective in my line of work,” said Lindsay Roberts, Mason Health’s Laboratory Supervisor. “When people watch TV, they see doctors and nurses performing lab tests, so it’s not obvious that in real life, there are other people working behind the scenes to make that happen.”
Nationwide, hospital laboratories are facing a shortage of laboratory workers, from phlebotomists to medical lab technicians to medical lab scientists/technologists. Much of the shortage is attributed to retirement attrition and burnout.
“We saw this trend coming years ago, as the industry stopped recruiting heavily and schools stopped offering classes, like molecular science, that encouraged people to look into this field,” Roberts said. “We want to seed the curiosity in young people.”
Mason Health staff will be visiting local schools this school year to share about the medical laboratory field, and this spring, Mason Health will once again offer a scholarship to a Shelton High School Health Sciences Academy student who wants to become a phlebotomist (see sidebar).
Mason Health will pay for the 10-week phlebotomy training and offer a full-time job afterward.
The District is also offering a $5,000 bonus to anyone who is hired for an open position in the Laboratory Department.
Most people do not know that the medical laboratory field exists, and many current lab professionals experienced rocky paths toward their careers.
“I did not know what a lab tech was until I signed up for the program at my community college,” said Cheyanne Brewer, a medical lab technician who worked at Mason Health this past August. “I was a stayat-home mom with two kids, and I asked the career counselor, what do you have?”
The field ended up being meaningful to Brewer — she connected her lab work to the experiences she had in labor delivering her children and understood the importance of lab professionals.
Roberts was interested in science but was not sure how to get on a path to work in a medical lab.
After pursuing associate’s degrees in science and math, she worked as a veterinary technician for five years.
“This is where I started to flounder,” she said. “The information was just not out there for me to figure out how to get into a laboratory at my local hospital without having to drive an hour-and-a-half for extra schooling.”
December 2022, Vol. 38, No. 4
Roberts finally came across a new medical lab technician (MLT) program, which offered an associate’s degree and certification to work as a medical lab technician upon graduation.
“The information was just not out there for me”Lindsay Roberts, Laboratory Supervisor Cheyanne Brewer, MLT, observes blood samples in test tubes at the Mason General Hospital Laboratory. From left, Cheyanne Brewer, MLT, Paul Nixon, MLS, Elizabeth Burton, MLT, Jeffrey Chapple, MLT, and Laboratory Supervisor Lindsay Roberts, MLS, pose in the Mason General Hospital Laboratory.
Medical lab technicians perform lab tests or chemical analyses of body fluids using microscopes or other advanced lab equipment. Lab techs also maintain, clean and sterilize equipment, prepare solutions and collect blood or tissue from patients.
The job usually requires an associate’s degree and is different from a phlebotomist, which is an entrylevel position in a lab and involves drawing blood from patients, and medical lab scientists or technologists, who typically hold a bachelor’s degree and have more advanced training.
Locally, only one MLT program exists in the South Sound, at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood. Mason Health is working on building an online instructor partnership with the college and will offer clinical rotations for MLT students soon.
After graduating from the MLT program at Folsom Lake College in 2015, Roberts found work at Marshall Medical Center in her hometown. She worked there for five years as an MLT, and about three years into it, she decided to pursue her bachelor’s degree.
By that time, she had found an online program offering a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science from the University of Cincinnati. The program allowed her to do her clinical rotations at the hospital where she worked.
In 2019, Roberts and her husband visited Shelton. They wanted to move out of California because of the regular threat of fires, and they love the rain. Roberts wanted to find a small, rural hospital that could feel like family.
“I had read about Mason Health,” she said. “I wanted to be in a place with real weather, I wanted to see clouds in the sky. The place where I worked in California was a family. I felt like the people working together in a small hospital would be much closer. I was right.”
Scan the QR code to watch more of Lindsay Roberts’ story on our YouTube Channel.
Mason Health offers a $5,000 signing bonus to anyone who applies and is accepted for a job in our Laboratory Department. Training opportunities and tuition reimbursement programs are available.
Mason Health also offers an annual scholarship to one Shelton High School Health Sciences Academy graduate who enters the medical laboratory field. Mason Health pays for the 10-week course for a phlebotomist license and guarantees employment directly after graduation.
Scholarships are also offered for nursing students and to become a medical assistant.
Interested Shelton High School students should talk to their school counselor about choosing the Health Sciences Academy when they enter 10th grade. Pathways are available in direct patient care, nutrition and fitness, and medical sciences.
Learn more at: https://shs.sheltonschools.org/departments_ classrooms/shelton_academies.
This holiday season, consider giving the gift of health care. Contributing to Mason General Hospital Foundation’s Annual Fund for unrestricted giving allows the Foundation to support Mason Health in providing exceptional health care to our community, in a variety of ways.
In rural communities like Mason County, access to quality health care close to home is an essential need. As technology in health care improves and the population ages, the demand for health care increases. At the same time, insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid, are paying less to hospitals and health care facilities, making the need for support from organizations like Mason General Hospital Foundation more and more important.
Please support MGHF by making a 100 percent tax-deductible contribution in 2022.
One way to provide an enduring gift of support to Mason General Hospital Foundation is through your will or estate plan. If you choose to include the Foundation in your will or other estate plan, we should be named as:
Mason General Hospital Foundation
Post O ce Box 1668, Shelton, WA 98584 Our tax identi cation number is 91-1529293
Mason General Hospital Foundation would be pleased to work with you and/or your nancial or tax advisor to establish the planned gift(s) most appropriate for you to achieve your nancial planning goals.
Use the enclosed envelope to make your tax-deductible donation to help support MGHF. To make a secure donation online go to www.MasonGeneral.com
Mason General Hospital Foundation is grateful for all the donations received during the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound’s Give Local campaign in November. Without you, MGHF would not be able to ful ll our mission to support Mason Health in providing quality health care to the Mason County community!
GH Foundation furthers the mission of Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County by providing nancial support to Mason Health.
Mason General Hospital Foundation would like to acknowledge former contributors. Listed below are supporters the Foundation would like to recognize for their past support of our mission and work in the community. Please join us in acknowledging their support of the Foundation during their lifetimes.
Barbara Van Etten
David H. Reed
Donald B. Viney Frances Hammack
Geraldine Rokos Joe Sullivan Joelle Everett
Julie Gentle Linda Calabrese Sally Cox
Shirley Erhart Rita Lyman
Richard Norris
Please be advised that every e ort has been made to ensure the integrity of this listing. If we have inadvertently omitted any names, please accept
If you do not wish to receive future fundraising requests to support the Foundation, please contact us at foundation@masongeneral.com or toll-free at (855) 880-3201 ext. 28084. We will honor your request not to receive any Mason General Hospital Foundation fundraising communications after the date we receive your decision.
Invest in today, because tomorrow will be here before you know it.
All of Mason Health’s physicians and providers are now offering free Medicare Wellness visits for those eligible and enrolled in Medicare Part B coverage.
This free annual wellness visit is intended to give you and your care team time to talk about how you’re doing, find ways you can avoid illness and help you to stay feeling your best. A nurse will reach out to eligible patients. The Medicare Wellness visit will also include a call from a pharmacist, who will review all the medication you are taking before coming in for your visit. They will then consult with your provider to ensure your medications are working effectively for you.
Wellness visits:
• “Welcome to Medicare” physical exam – A one-time review of your health, education and counseling about preventive services, and referrals for other care if needed. You can only get this within 12 months of signing up for Medicare Part B.
• “Annual Wellness Visit” – If you’ve had Part B for longer than 12 months, you can get a yearly wellness visit to develop or update a personalized prevention plan based on your current health and risk factors.
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, a one-time screening for people at risk (family history of abdominal aortic aneurysms, or you’re a man between 65 and 75 who has ever smoked). Get a referral during your initial Medicare wellness exam
• Alcohol misuse screening and counseling, which can be part of your Welcome to Medicare or Annual Wellness Visit
• Bone mass measurement, or bone density test, which you can get every two years.
• Cardiovascular disease screening, covered every five years, plus one behavior therapy visit per year (to discuss strategies with your doctor for lowering your cardiovascular disease risk)
• Depression screening, once per year
• DEXA scan
• Diabetes screening, up to twice per year, for people at high risk of diabetes
• Flu shots
See a full list and learn more at www. masongeneral.com/services/medicare-wellness. To learn more about Mason Health’s Medicare Wellness program, watch this video with Director of Care Coordination Jennifer Anderson.
P
regnancy and a new baby can bring a range of emotions. Many new moms feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, or exhausted at different times during their pregnancy or after the baby is born.
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides 24/7, free, confidential support before, during, and after pregnancy.
With help, you can feel better. Call or text, 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS (1833-943-5746) to connect with counselors at the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. Learn more at www.masongeneral.com/ services/birth-center.
If you are in suicidal crisis, please call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
As people start to travel and gather this year, COVID-19 vaccination, along with other important prevention strategies, continues to be our best defense against severe disease. Below are some tips to enjoy a healthy and safe holiday season.
• Get a COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot this season. If you’re eligible for a booster shot, get one now. Mason Health offers vaccines by appointment only for those 12 and over at our Vaccine Clinic. Schedule an appointment for a flu or COVID vaccine at https://calendly.com/masonhealth.
• Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth when in indoor public places.
• To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine for those 12 and under, call Mason Clinic at 360-426-2653.
• Whenever possible, stay 6 feet apart from people who don’t live with you.
• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
• Consider self-testing before indoor gatherings. If you are sick or have symptoms, don’t attend the event.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
Holiday traditions are important for many people. Using proven prevention strategies, we can enjoy safer holidays, travel, and protect our own health as well as the health of our family and friends.
Boosters are an important part of protecting yourself from getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. They are recommended for most people.
Find out when you can get a booster using this tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.
Follow Mason Health on social media and visit our website for the most up-to-date guidelines about COVID-19.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Three providers joined the Mason Clinic-Primary Care team this fall and winter, each of whom have longtime ties to Mason County and exemplify Mason Health’s mission statement of United Community, Empowered People, Exceptional Health. Mason Health is proud to welcome D’Arcy Kaaua (pronounced Kah-ow-ah), ARNP, David Soha, DO, and Ladd Rutherford, PA-C, to Mason Clinic. Each of them will see primary care patients of all ages. Look for full profiles on all three providers in the next issue of SCOPE and Find A Provider at www.masongeneral.com.
Si te gusta resolver misterios y rompecabezas médicos, una carrera en ciencias de laboratorio médico puede ser para ti.
“Puedo ser un detective en mi línea de trabajo”, dijo Lindsay Roberts, supervisora del laboratorio de Mason Health. “Cuando las personas ven la televisión, ven a médicos y enfermeras realizando pruebas de laboratorio, por lo que no es obvio que, en la vida real, haya otras personas trabajando detrás de escena para que eso suceda”.
A nivel nacional, los laboratorios hospitalarios se enfrentan a una escasez de trabajadores de laboratorio, desde flebotomistas hasta científicos / tecnólogos de laboratorio médico. Gran parte de la escasez se atribuye al desgaste, el agotamiento y la jubilación.
“Vimos esta tendencia venir hace años, ya que la industria dejó de reclutar en gran medida y las escuelas dejaron de ofrecer clases, como ciencia molecular, que alentaban a las personas a buscar este campo”, dijo Roberts. “Queremos sembrar la curiosidad en los jóvenes”. El personal de Mason Health visitará las escuelas locales este año escolar para compartir información sobre el campo del laboratorio médico, y esta primavera, Mason Health ofrecerá una vez más una beca a un estudiante de la Academia de Ciencias de la Salud de la preparatoria Shelton que quiera convertirse en flebotomista (ver recuadro).
Mason Health pagará por la capacitación en flebotomía de 10 semanas y ofrecerá un trabajo de tiempo completo después de ello. El distrito escolar también está ofreciendo un bono de $5,000 a cualquier persona que sea contratada para un puesto vacante en el Departamento de Laboratorio.
Los técnicos de laboratorio médico realizan pruebas de laboratorio o análisis químicos de fluidos corporales utilizando microscopios u otros equipos de laboratorio avanzados. Los técnicos de laboratorio también mantienen, limpian y esterilizan materiales, preparan soluciones y recolectan sangre o tejido de los pacientes.
El trabajo generalmente requiere un título de asociado y es diferente de un flebotomista, que es un puesto de nivel de entrada en un laboratorio e implica extraer sangre de pacientes y científicos o tecnólogos de laboratorio médico, que generalmente tienen una licenciatura y tienen una capacitación más avanzada.
A nivel local, solo existe un programa MLT en South Sound, en el colegio técnico de Clover Park en Lakewood. Mason Health está trabajando en construir una asociación de instructores en línea de internet con la universidad y pronto ofrecerá rotaciones clínicas para los estudiantes de MLT.
Después de graduarse del programa MLT en Folsom Lake College en 2015, Roberts encontró trabajo en el Centro Médico Marshall en su ciudad natal. Trabajó allí durante cinco años como MLT, y unos tres años después, decidió obtener su licenciatura.
En ese momento, había encontrado un programa en línea que ofrecía una licenciatura en ciencias de laboratorio médico de la Universidad de Cincinnati. El programa le permitió hacer sus rotaciones clínicas en el hospital donde trabajaba.
En 2019, Roberts y su esposo visitaron Shelton. Querían mudarse de California debido a la amenaza regular de incendios, y les encanta la lluvia. Roberts quería encontrar un pequeño hospital rural en donde pudiera sentirse como en familia.
La mayoría de la gente no sabe que el campo del laboratorio médico existe, y muchos profesionales de laboratorio actuales experimentaron caminos rocosos hacia sus carreras. “No sabía lo que era un técnico de laboratorio hasta que me inscribí en el programa en mi colegio comunitario”, dijo Cheyanne Brewer, técnica de laboratorio médico de Mason Health en agosto pasado. “Era una ama de casa con dos hijos, y le pregunté al consejero profesional, ¿qué tienes?”
El campo terminó siendo significativo para Brewer: conectó su trabajo de laboratorio con las experiencias que tuvo en el trabajo de parto al dar a luz a sus hijos y entendió la importancia de los profesionales de laboratorio.
Roberts estaba interesada en la ciencia, pero no estaba segura de cómo emprender un camino para trabajar en un laboratorio médico. Después de obtener títulos de asociado en ciencias y matemáticas, trabajó como técnica veterinaria durante cinco años.
“Aquí es donde comencé a tambalearme”, dijo. “La información simplemente no estaba disponible para que yo descubriera cómo ingresar a un laboratorio en mi hospital local sin tener que conducir una hora y media para obtener educación adicional”.
Roberts finalmente se encontró con un nuevo programa de técnico de laboratorio médico (MLT), que ofrecía un título de asociado y certificación para trabajar como técnico de laboratorio médico al graduarse.
“Había leído sobre Mason Health”, dijo. “Quería estar en un lugar con clima real, quería ver nubes en el cielo. El lugar donde trabajaba en California era una familia. Sentí que las personas que trabajaban juntas en un pequeño hospital estarían mucho más cerca. Tenía razón”.
El embarazo y tener un bebé nuevo trae consigo una variedad de emociones. Muchos individuos se sienten abrumados, tristes, ansiosos o exhaustas en diferentes momentos de su embarazo o después de tener a su bebé.
Contacta a la Línea Nacional de Asistencia a la Salud Mental Materna 24/7: 1-833-943-5746.
Si estás en una situación de crisis suicida, por favor llama o manda un texto al 988.
“La información simplemente no estaba ahí para mí”
901 Mountain View Drive Shelton, WA 98584
United Community, Empowered People, Exceptional Health
Published by: Mason Health. Editor-in-Chief: Jennifer Capps, Chief Development & Communications Officer. Writing & Editing: Arla Shephard Bull, Marketing Coordinator. Proofreader & Fact Checker: Penny Nielsen. Designed by: BatFish Ink LLC. Printed by: The Shopper Business Office/Patient Accounts: 2505 Olympic Highway North, Suite #450, Shelton, WA 98584. Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 360-427-3601 (or 360-275-8614 from Allyn) or email hospitalbillingquestions@masongeneral.com for questions about your bill. A Spanish translator is available.
Mason Health: Located at: 901 Mountain View Drive, PO Box 1668, Shelton, WA 98584-5001 • 360-426-1611, from Allyn 360-275-8614, Toll free 855-880-3201, TTY/TDD 360-427-9593 • Serving the medical needs of Mason County since 1968 • Accredited by DNV-GL • Free Translation Services Provided/Se habla español • Equal Opportunity Provider • Mason Health informs the public, patients, and employees that the agency does not discriminate on the basis of a patient’s age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation), religion, culture, physical or mental disability, financial status or condition (including the terminally ill or dying), limited English, visual, hearing or learning impaired.
Visiting hours: Mon-Fri: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat-Sun: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All visitors enter through the MGH Main Entrance, except Emergency Department visitors. Visitor restrictions are based on COVID transmission rate and department. Visit www.masongeneral.com for specific details.
Mason Clinic hours: Mon–Fri: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Mason Clinic Lab hours: Mon-Fri: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Mason Clinic Walk-In hours: Mon-Fri: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat/Sun: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Administration: Eric Moll, Chief Executive Officer; Darrin Moody, President/Commissioner, Gayle Weston, Secretary/Commissioner, and Don Wilson, Commissioner.
www.MasonGeneral.com
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2505 Olympic Hwy, Suite #450 Shelton, WA 98584 • (360) 427-3601 Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 3.
Mason Health Business O ce • POB 94782 • Seattle, WA 98124-7082
