Southland Hospital Awanui Laboratory manager Craig Rodgers, 65, said he was looking forward to retiring on November 17 after beginning his career as a lab worker straight out of high school.
Mr Rodgers said he began working in the sector because he loved to help people.
"I’ve always had a science bend and I don’t know if I had enough brains to go down the medical line so it was something I felt I could do that would contribute.
"You don’t have to be at the forefront like doctors seeing patients, we do an awful lot to help patients’ care."
A lot of patients would often tell staff about their health issues in confidence, and building trust was an important value to have as a lab worker, Mr Rodgers said.
With staff shortages and workers being overworked and underpaid, the sector was undervalued, he said.
"I think it's very sad, but I think part of the problem is that everybody knows what nurses do.
"[But] nobody really understands what lab staff do and how essential we are to everybody's health."
He said lab staff were important in giving doctors results from tests so they could further help patients, but no-one really understood that.
Mr Rodgers said he had a health condition and wanted to retire so he could enjoy retirement before it got to the point where he no longer could.
"I’m retiring because I've gone beyond my use-by date.
"I feel that probably the way the situation’s going I feel that it probably needs a younger person to come into this role to be able to drive things forward."
He said he was looking forward to spending time with his six grandchildren around New Zealand and Australia as well as relaxing after 48 years in a stressful job.
