Phlebotomist

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A phlebotomist is an individual trained to draw blood (venipuncture), either for laboratory tests, or for blood donations.

Contents

1 Their role
2 Training and certification

2.1 United States

2.1.1 Education
2.1.2 Certification and Licensing

3 See also
4 External links

Their role

Phlebotomy is the act of puncturing a vein to collect blood either for testing or transfusion. It is a skill employed by physicians and many professionals in allied health fields, including nurses, medical assistants, and clinical laboratory scientists. Health care is a rapidly expanding industry, and a new professional, the certified phlebotomist, helps to reduce the workload of doctors and nurses by focusing exclusively on blood collection, particularly in hospitals and blood drives.

Phlebotomists collect blood primarily by performing venipuncture and, for collection of minute quantities of blood, fingersticks. Blood may be collected from infants by means of a heel stick or from scalp veins with a butterfly needle. In addition phlebotomists may also help recovery of patients with adverse reactions.

Phlebotomists do not administer drugs or fluids intravenously or give intramuscular or subcutaneous injections. These tasks must be performed by physicians or nurses. Phlebotomists sometimes perform other tasks as required such as urine collection and testing. In the United States, a phlebotomist is paid competitively.

Training and certification

Most countries are working towards more standardized training including certification.

In the UK, no special certification is required, only training, often on the job.[link]
In New Zealand, phlebotomists must have a high school degree and First Aid Certificate, with all other skills being taught on the job.[link]
Australian phlebotomists are heading towards a minimum requirement of Cert III in Phlebotomy. This must be a from a nationally accrediated course. Employers already are looking for this on applicants resumes.

Further on the job training is then supplied by employers. Annual Competencies/Assessments are being carried out by some leading Pathology services to set a benchmark for Phlebotomists.

United States

In the United States, requirements vary by state, with some requiring certification.[link]

Education

Phlebotomy used to be a skill picked up on the job, but today, most phlebotomists in the United States train approximately four months in a career center or trade school or one year in a community college. This training includes a clinical rotation in a hospital. They are usually required to be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross conduct day-long classes in CPR for health professionals for a small fee. In addition to CPR, phlebotomists study anatomy, how to interact with patients, legal aspects of blood collection, Universal and Standard Precautions, and blood collection techniques. A prospective phlebotomist should have a high school diploma or GED and be able to follow simple directions and procedures and handle blood and other bodily fluids without discomfort.

Certification and Licensing

Phlebotomists can be certified upon examination by a number of agencies, including the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP), the American Medical Technologists (AMT), and the American Association of Medical Personnel (AAMP). The ASCP has the most stringent certification requirements. In the United States, phlebotomists are not required to be certified except in California, although almost all are.

External links

[Professionals in Phlebotomy] (US)
[NHS Careers] (UK)
[National Association of Phlebotomists] (UK)
[KiwiCareers - Phlebotomist] (NZ)
[Monster.com] (US)
[Standard procedures]

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