MERAZ
Sally Meraz is relatively new to the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority (PTHA), but has worked in the medical field for close to 20 years.
She began working with the PTHA medical lab in June 2009. Prior to that, she worked as a lab technician at medical offices in Puyallup and Olympia.
She began working as a medical lab technician after spending 17 years as a phlebotomist. While working as a phlebotomist at the Naval Hospital on Whidbey Island, Sally Meraz got the opportunity to assist in the laboratory, which sparked her interested to further her education in medical training.
“I liked the field I was working in (phlebotomy), but I wanted more experience, and more variety.”
As a lab technician she values the fact that her job is far from monotonous. And her work at the PTHA allows her to have more direct contact with patients, which she says she really appreciates.
“I like working with people, and I want to have a positive impression on people’s lives,” she said. “I like having direct contact with the patient – it reminds us that everything we do has a person attached to the end of it.”
She noted that as a relatively new technician, she is constantly learning new things, which is a rewarding challenge.
“Every day I’m getting a little more comfortable in my work.”
She is a member of a five-person lab technician staff that administers a variety of daily operations such as maintenance and quality control on instruments, gathering samples, analyzing data, or sending tests to an outside lab.
The PTHA lab is equipped to handle a variety of tests in-house – such as pregnancy tests, urinalysis, influenza, thyroid function testing and rheumatoid arthritis among other things. The lab staff rotates responsibilities weekly, so on any given week Sally Meraz may be handling chemistry, hematology, urinalysis or front-desk operations.
Outside of work, Sally Meraz leads a fairly active life with her husband of five years. She currently lives in the Clearwood area near Yelm and has three grown children and one grandson.
