April 20-26, 2025, is Medical Laboratory Professionals Week – a designated time to celebrate the critical work of pathology and clinical lab professionals.
Laboratory professionals play a key role in every aspect of health care. Sometimes known as health care detectives, they help ensure timely and accurate diagnoses to improve patient outcomes
Health care employees depend on laboratory personnel to provide crucial test results that help in guiding patient treatment. Through high-tech equipment and sophisticated analysis, laboratory professionals can provide rapid and reliable testing results that assist in the diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and prevention of disease.
Please show your support and gratitude to our lab staff at Children’s Minnesota who positively impact patient care. Their efforts are essential to protecting public health and promoting the health of patients.
To celebrate, we’re excited to introduce you to Parbate Ramnandon, medical lab technician II.
Get to know Parbate!
Tell us about your role.
Each night, I wear many hats, from processing and performing a variety of tests on samples, including BMPs, CBC, Blood Gas and more. I also set up culture plates, read STAT gram stains, issue blood products and occasionally perform phlebotomy. Beyond testing, I’m responsible for the daily and weekly maintenance of our analyzers.
What does your typical workday look like?
A typical night for me starts with a huddle with my team to share essential information regarding equipment and patient care. This is followed by a thorough handover with the outgoing staff member to ensure continuity of care. My night mainly consists of running tests, calling out critical results and assisting other departments as needed, ensuring everything is prepared for the day shift ahead.
What do you want patients, families and staff to know about your work?
What I want patients, families and staff to remember is that although we may not be at the forefront, our commitment lies in providing accurate test results quickly, which is vital for patient care.
What do you love most about your job?
What I love most about my job is the opportunity to work with children. Their resilience and innocence inspire me to come to work with a positive attitude each day, ready to take on the challenges of the night shift.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy embracing the great outdoors — whether it’s camping up north, hiking through stunning state parks or enjoying a day on a frozen lake during winter. It’s a refreshing change from the hospital environment, allowing me to reconnect with nature.
