Natascha Schmidt
Glasgow
Summary
An enthusiastic, well-motivated, highly organised and adaptable laboratory professional with extensive experience in data entry as well as operation, maintenance, calibration, and quality control of diverse equipment and analysers in blood sciences. Demonstrates exceptional problem-solving skills and effective time management under pressure. Proven track record in supervising and training new staff, quality assurance, and handling infectious waste with a keen awareness of COSHH regulations. Adept at both teamwork and independent work environments, with excellent communication skills for engaging with the public and colleagues. Committed to maintaining high standards of accuracy and data entry precision while fostering a supportive work atmosphere.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work history
Volunteer shop assistant
Good Food Scotland (Cardonald Larder)
Glasgow, Glasgow City
2025.06 - Current
- Restock shelves timely to guarantee availability of products at all times
- Strengthen team efficiency and help colleagues during busy periods.
- Stock rotation and stock taking to ensure product freshness and availability
- Provide excellent customer service including offering assistance to elderly or less able customers for a compassionate shopping experience
- Increase product visibility by organising shelves neatly and efficiently
- Covered extra shifts and maintained flexible schedule to achieve store goals
- Helping to provide easy access to affordable food for the local community
Biomedical Scientist
NHS, Grantham and District Hospital
2013.09 - 2024.06
- As a Biomedical Scientist specialising in Haematology & Transfusion I worked in the hospital’s multi-disciplinary blood sciences laboratory for over 10 years, testing blood & fluid samples to support the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of a range of diseases as well as carrying out transfusion testing and crossmatching.
- Handling, processing and analysing a range of samples in the laboratory safely and accurately
- Prioritising urgent work amongst routine laboratory work & procedures
- Providing accurate and timely test results to medical staff to assist in patient diagnosis
- Working with laboratory information management software including Winpath, Citm and iLab
- Maintaining stock and equipment and identifying and correcting analyser issues to assure continuous testing capabilities and accurate results
- Providing accurate and timely record keeping and data management for each test
- Identifying abnormal or unexpected results and reporting to clinicians or other appropriate staff in a prompt manner.
- Helping to provide cover for a 365/24/7 laboratory service as part of a team as well as on lone shifts
- Supervising and assisting in the training of MLAs, students and trainee BMS
- Assuring quality by carrying out IQC, filing DATIX reports, raising issues on Qpulse and taking part in audits
- Helping to provide a consistent laboratory service during many adversities including Covid-19 and severe staff shortages, covering 12 hour lone shifts at weekends and nights for 10 years
- Assisting in the evaluation of new equipment (e.g. transition from Architect to Cobas in chemistry, Biorad to Ortho in transfusion)
- Keeping up staff morale by providing cake and a listening ear, and never losing my sense of humour
BMS
NHS, Leicester Royal Infirmary
2012.09 - 2013.08
- Working as a newly qualified BMS in the main transfusion laboratory for the Leicester NHS Trust. Carrying out automated and manual blood grouping, crossmatching, antibody identification, MHRP, investigation of transfusion reactions, maintaining stocks, provision of blood products, and blood product irradiation.
MLA
NHS, Newark hospital
2005.10 - 2012.08
- MLA duties including sample reception (for haematology, chemistry, histology, andrology and microbiology), booking in and quality checking specimens, maintenance of equipment including POC analysers on wards, stock management and ordering, supplying consumables to wards and advice on vials and conditions required for tests, training new staff, staffing warfarin helpline, preparation of reagents, waste disposal (while completing a BSc and post graduate education followed by registration portfolio as a BMS in blood sciences)
Education
Postgraduate top up modules - Pathology and Immunology
University of Ulster
Bachelor (Hons) - Natural Sciences with Biology
The Open University
Skills
- Organisation
- Problem solving
- Flexibility
- Teamwork as well as lone working
- Prioritising tasks depending on urgency
- Empathy
- Supervision and training of new staff
- Experience in the operation, maintenance, calibration and QC of a wide variety of equipment and analysers in blood sciences
- Data Entry
- Medical terminology
- Quality Assurance
- Infectious waste handling and awareness of COSHH
- Time management under pressure
- Experienced in all specimen reception tasks and dealing with the public and other staff in a friendly manner
Timeline
Volunteer shop assistant
Good Food Scotland (Cardonald Larder)
2025.06 - Current
Biomedical Scientist
NHS, Grantham and District Hospital
2013.09 - 2024.06
BMS
NHS, Leicester Royal Infirmary
2012.09 - 2013.08
MLA
NHS, Newark hospital
2005.10 - 2012.08
Bachelor (Hons) - Natural Sciences with Biology
The Open University
Postgraduate top up modules - Pathology and Immunology
University of Ulster