How to find the right phlebotomist training program in your area?

Answer 1

Phlebotomy is the act or practice of opening a vein to let blood or to withdraw blood. A phlebotomist is an individual who has been trained in this procedure.

In the United States, training in phlebotomy is acquired at accredited vocational technical schools or colleges. Requirements for enrollment in phlebotomy certification courses vary by state; however, most states require a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED). It is important to note that not all employers will accept the phlebotomy certification offered by all training programs. Prospective phlebotomists should check on the requirements within their area before committing to a training program. Among the agencies that certify phlebotomy training programs are the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), the American Credentialing Agency (ACA), the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). In addition to completing a certification program, some states may require registration or licensing of phlebotomists.

Phlebotomy is a relatively new specialization within the health care industry. As the demand for health care services has risen in recent decades, dedicated phlebotomy specialists were needed to reduce the workload of doctors and nurses. Hospitals, blood donation centers, and companies that require drug screening employ phlebotomists.

Generally, patients are a little nervous about phlebotomy procedures. Therefore, to make patients feel more at ease, phlebotomists are trained to provide professional service in a calm and courteous manner.

Phlebotomy procedures require attention to detail. A phlebotomist will prepare the necessary equipment, select a site for the venipuncture, prepare the puncture site on the patient, collect the blood sample in a container, and label the container. Generally, each collection container is accompanied by a requisition form, which specifies the name, gender and other information of the patient; requisition forms also note the name of the requesting physician, source of specimen, date and time of the phlebotomy procedure, the initials of the phlebotomist, and an indication of which tests are to be performed on the blood sample. In addition, the phlebotomist is trained to recognize complications that may occur in connection with the phlebotomy procedure.