Kimberly Fusick Career Spotlight
Kimberly Fusick is a Combined Laboratory Technician (CLXT) currently working in Shellbrook, SK in the laboratory and diagnostic imaging departments. Kimberly has been a CLXT since 2014.
What are your primary responsibilities as a Combined Laboratory Technician?
As a CLXT, I work in both the lab and x-ray departments every day. My shifts vary and include days, evenings, and weekends. Part of my role also includes being on call after evening and weekend shifts so I can assist with urgent patient needs overnight.
- On a typical day I see a combination of patients from the emergency room, acute care, and long-term care as well as community members receiving tests ordered by their family doctors or nurse practitioners.
- My laboratory duties include collecting and assessing samples, accessioning orders, performing laboratory tests and evaluating the results.
- My x-ray duties include performing x-rays and ECGs on patients to help with the diagnosis and treatment of a range of conditions from chronic pain and pre-op assessments to emergency and trauma situations.
- I am also responsible for performing and evaluating quality assurance testing on all of our equipment and analyzers, and carrying out daily, weekly, monthly, and annual maintenance on our analyzers to ensure accurate and reliable testing.
How would you describe your work-life balance as a Combined Laboratory Technician?
Like many rural healthcare facilities, our site has experienced staffing shortages, which can make for busy and demanding days. Team members often take on additional responsibilities, including on-call coverage to ensure laboratory and diagnostic imaging services remain available for patients when they need them most.
While the workload can sometimes be challenging, what stands out most is the support we provide one another. We have a dedicated team that works together to deliver high-quality patient care, and leaders who are committed to supporting staff and minimizing burnout wherever possible. The strong sense of teamwork, community, and shared purpose helps make Shellbrook a rewarding place to work and serves as a reminder of the important impact we have on our patients every day.
Have you always been interested in becoming a Combined Laboratory Technician?
I came across the Combined Lab and X-Ray Technologist program about a year after I finished high school. I was working in Saskatoon and hadn’t found a career that felt like a good fit for me. I looked at the various Laboratory and Radiology programs offered at Sask Polytech and became interested in the combined program because I was planning on living in a rural area.
What opportunities exist for career growth or advancement within this role?
There are opportunities to move into management and supervisory positions.
What advice would you offer to students or new graduates interested in pursuing a career as a Combined Laboratory Technician?
The schooling and working in this field are demanding, so having a solid support group is beneficial. There are many job opportunities for this career in rural Saskatchewan, and we are an essential part of any healthcare team.
What is the one thing you enjoy most about being a Combined Laboratory Technician?
I was drawn to it for a variety of reasons; I was interested in healthcare but there were a few aspects of nursing that I knew I would not enjoy. Being a CLXT I still get to interact with patients on a smaller scale. I like that I have a lot of variety in what I am doing every day, and I get a lot of satisfaction out of being a part of putting all the puzzle pieces together to help with a diagnosis.
