Elvira "Vily" Choperena

Accountable for day-to-day department activities for Toxicology, Trace Elements, Biochemical Genetics, Immunology, Neuroimmunology, Special Hematology, Endocrinology and Hemostasis and Thrombosis laboratories

Manages staffing resources and scheduling

Develops and supports a healthy workplace

Facilitates improvement initiatives and change management, while operating within approved budget

Ensures Quality Assurance compliance

Works collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team in an unionized environment

Reviews and updates policies and procedures

• Organizes, directs and evaluates the delivery of department services in Toxicology, Immunology, Trace Elements, Biochemical Genetics and Hemostasis and Thrombosis
• Responsible for liaising with respective medical leaders such as Hematologists, Biochemists, Transfusion Medicine Specialists and Scientists to execute program leadership decisions
• Accountable for day-to-today department activities such as management of human and material resources and staffing scheduling
• Ensures team and department operations are aligned with hospital's mission, vision and values and service excellence
• Develops and supports a healthy workplace among peers
• Fosters effective working relationships and networks within the team and with other departments, hospitals, regional, national and international organizations
• Facilitates improvement initiatives while operating within approved operational budgets
• Engages and supports self and others with personal improvement though teaching, coaching, mentoring and/or formal development processes

• Oversees technical work of the Maternal Serum Screening and Endocrinology laboratories
• Assumes some Biochemists duties in their absence
• Orders laboratory supplies and reagents
• Develops and monitors quality control programs
• Trains new employees
• Performs maintenance on analyzers
• Works on the bench as needed
• Develops and enforces policies, processes and procedures
• Monitors departmental budget
• Active member of the Safety Committee and Quality Committee

• Courses taught: Histology, Anatomy and Physiology, Cytology, Hematology, Microbiology, Urinalysis, Clinical Chemistry, Environmental Technology, Phlebotomy, ECG, Vital Signs, Veterinary Techniques

• Supervises technical work and personnel of the Microbiology, Chemistry, Hematology, Urinalysis and Coagulation laboratories
• Laboratory Assessor for the College of American Pathologists (CAP)
• Develops policies and procedures
• Performs quality management
• Maintains department compliance with the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other accrediting agencies from the United States

• Performs manual and automated procedures in Immunohematology and Blood Bank
• Performs quality control functions and daily equipment maintenance, and follows and maintains Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Complies with State, Federal regulations, the National Red Cross Blood Services procedures, and laboratory safety requirements

• Performs complex laboratory procedures and generate summaries, conclusions and evaluations in Microbiology, Hematology, Coagulation, Urinalysis, Blood Bank and Chemistry
• Performs calibrations, safety checks and preventive maintenance of laboratory instruments
• Uses and monitors quality control program

• Performs routine and complex laboratory procedures in Hematology, Coagulation and Urinalysis using standard laboratory equipment
• Assists physicians with bone marrow collection
• Reviews and approves final test results and quality control results

• RESEARCH
• Follows sterile techniques for dissecting tissue for tissue culture
• Feeds and maintains cell growth for tissue culture lines