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Essential Laboratory Skills: A Guide for Beginners
October 11, 2024
9 minutes
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Summary:
Essential Laboratory Skills A Guide for Beginners explains the key skills needed to work as a lab technician. It covers operating lab equipment, managing time, preventing contamination, and following safety rules, with tips on communication and teamwork. The guide also discusses job roles, salaries, and qualifications in the UK.
This guide gives you the basics, but if you want a full step-by-step roadmap, check out our Laboratory Technician Diploma Course
Laboratory technicians are behind the scene heroes of a laboratory. The demand for lab technicians is increasing day by day in the UK. Educational qualifications are mandatory in every profession. Yet, skills related to this job are more important than educational qualifications.
What You Need To Know About A Laboratory Technician
Before we start about the skills of your interest, let us focus on some related topics.
1. Working scope of a lab technician
A total of 80,000 lab technicians are working now in the UK under national and local government. As a lab technician in the UK, you will find jobs at:
- Educational institutions
- Research and Development projects
- Diagnostic Centre
- Medical and Clinical laboratories
- Manufacturing and services
- Universities, colleges and schools
2. What will be your salary & working hours?
Lab technicians earn different salaries based on experience and workplace. Entry-level technicians make between £19K and £22K per year. They usually work 35 to 40 hours a week.
On average, lab technicians earn £27K per year. In some places, pay may be higher or lower. With more skills and experience, salaries can rise to £50K–£60K per year.
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3. What qualifications do you need?
NHS (National Health Service) offers job openings for NHS medical laboratory assistant. It doesn’t need any educational or institutional qualifications. At the same time, there are possibilities for on-job training. But not every employer appreciate that. You need to gain some skill to impress employers.
Under recent circumstances, the challenges are increasing day by day. And, you are not the only candidate for the job. To stand out from other applicants a Diploma in this sector will help you a lot. You can even earn a Diploma by taking an online course on Laboratory Technician.
4. What will be your job responsibilities?
Opportunities help you grow and succeed. If you focus on them, you will do well in your field. As a lab technician, you have many career paths.
Doctors and patients rely on you in a medical center. Doctors need test results to find diseases. Patients trust you to give results on time.
Scientists depend on your work in a research lab. They do the math, but your tests give them data. Your job is to run tests with care and give results fast.
7 Laboratory Skills To Become A Lab Technician
Let’s get started with the burning question of the blog, Essential Laboratory Skills for a Lab Technician in the UK. You will find a list of skills that defines the qualities of a good lab technician.
1. Laboratory operating skills
Do you know what is the obvious skill that a lab assistant must own? The answer is the ability to operate the equipment of the laboratory with efficiency.
Sustainability of the equipment depends on the technician’s maintenance. The institution or the company will bear the cost. But the duties of maintenance lie on the shoulder of the lab assistant. As a lab assistant, your duty includes:
- Handling machines like Microscopes, Incubators, Freezers, Heaters, and Heating Mantles etc.
- Collect, analyse, summarise and submit test results.
- Sterilisation and Disinfection of the pieces of equipment.
- Decontaminate Reusable Medical Devices.
- Adjust and maintain fragile laboratory equipment with proper safety measures.
- Calibrate and test the equipment periodically to check their efficiency.
2. Time management and multitasking
As a laboratory technician, time management is key. Multitasking helps you work faster and stay efficient. Keep a to-do list, track your tasks, and focus on what matters most.
If a test takes hours to complete, don’t just wait. Use that time wisely. Start another task that takes less time. If the tasks are unrelated, that’s fine. It’s still a smart choice.
Stay organized, work smart, and make every minute count.
3. The skill of being patient
Patience is an essential quality of a technician in the laboratory. It is hard to do nothing but wait for hours for a test result. Here are some pro-tips that you can do by that time:
- Conduct daily safety check-up of laboratory equipment.
- Clean the types of equipment that are used on a regular basis.
- Check the stock of pieces of equipment. Make ensure that the laboratory has all the necessary tools at hand when required.
- Organize your tools and equipment. Also, make a list of availability so that anyone can find them while you are not around the corner.
- Last but not the least, always keep an eye on the test that is going on.
4. Ability to control and prevent contamination in the laboratory
When collecting a specimen, be very careful. You may need to take a sample from a patient or subject. Lab assistants often handle these specimens to prepare samples for tests. To avoid contamination, proper safety equipment is essential in the lab.
Different labs require different safety measures. Always use the right equipment for the specific type of lab you’re in. This helps ensure both the specimen and the environment stay safe from contamination.
Personal protective equipment that you will be using in a lab:
Safety Glasses
Safety glasses and goggles are essential in every laboratory. They protect the eyes from chemicals, heat, and hazardous substances. Lab technicians wear them to avoid contamination and contact with dangerous materials. These safety tools help keep the eyes safe in a variety of work environments.
Lab coats or apron
An apron is important for safety. It protects your skin and clothes from spills. Chemicals like acid or base can damage them. The coat should cover your body from your shoulders to your knees.
Gloves
Gloves are a must in almost every lab. In medical labs, people usually wear disposable gloves. In hazardous labs, full-sleeve gloves are recommended. These gloves cover more of the hand for added protection. Full-sleeve gloves help reduce exposure to harmful substances. Always use the right gloves for safety.
Mask
Medical labs use one-time use face masks because they don’t deal with dangerous chemicals. Chemical labs require stronger protection. N-95 respirators or air-purifying respirators are used. These offer better protection against harmful chemicals. The choice depends on lab risks.
Day-to-day tasks in a lab
Moreover, it is also important to take care of the safety lab room. After all, personal safety will depend on it. To avoid accidents you should do the followings in a lab:
- Use warning signs of hazardous materials where necessary.
- Do not smell or taste anything known or unknown if it is not part of the test.
- Always cover up the containers of chemicals.
- Keep the safety equipment at an accessible place near the station.
- While working, do not eat food, drink or chew gum in the laboratory.
- Turn off all flammable source if you are the last person to leave the room.
5. Communication skill
You will interact with people from different backgrounds in a lab. Educational labs often involve teachers, research students, and undergraduates. Medical labs usually require you to collaborate closely with colleagues.
Being friendly is key, but professionalism must always be maintained. Communicating clearly and respectfully helps ensure smooth teamwork.
Use simple words and short sentences for easy understanding. Keeping paragraphs concise improves clarity for everyone involved.
6. Prior basic knowledge of subjects understudy
Another important quality is to own sound knowledge in related fields. This includes Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics etc.
You may not be part of the research of the medical or educational field. The knowledge will help you to understand the purpose of a given test. A thorough understanding of your field will develop within yourself.
7. Ability to maintain laboratory etiquettes
To maintain the quality of the tests of the laboratory you must follow some etiquettes. 3 basic etiquettes for the laboratory are:
- Limit the visitors: You should not allow any unnecessary visitors in the laboratory. If it is necessary then train the person. The person should know the rules, regulations and knowledge of the laboratory.
- Routine inspection: Reliable laboratory equipment provide quality results. And a periodic routine inspection will increase the effectiveness of the machines.
Security: In many laboratories, tests are conducted on sensitive materials. Sound and secure data management will help to increase data integrity and security.
Closing Note
Your presence here denotes your dedication toward the profession. Put yourself in your employer’s customers shoe. Think about what behaviour you would expect from your employee. Eventually, you will figure out the skill that you should own. So, this is the end of this discussion. Do you have some more skills in mind? Share your thoughts and let us know more in the comment section.
Laboratory Technician Diploma
Explore the core skills used in the laboratory and learn how to manage and monitor laboratory work
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