Phlebotomy is a rapidly expanding field and it can offer you a dynamic medical career. There are a number of opportunities for advancement and promotion for those who want to climb higher.
Just like any other industry career progression is something that has to be worked at and opportunities exist for those individuals who shine at their work.
The NHS Agenda for Change was designed in part to provide opportunities to develop for all NHS staff. Your training needs have to be taken seriously by your health trust and line managers as there is plenty of room to advance in your career.
Through additional education and experience a phlebotomist can rise through the NHS ranks to become senior phlebotomists, phlebotomy supervisors, phlebotomy trainers, team leaders, and phlebotomy managers or service managers.
You can keep your career challenging and interesting by constantly learning new things. Not only via on-the-job training, but also through seminars and courses on specific skills.
Opportunities also abound outside the hospital campus in pathology labs, research institutes and nursing homes.
With a passion for learning and a desire to help people you will be able to meet every challenge head on, and as you gain more skills and experience more doors will open for you.
Bloodletting as a means of healing illness dates back to 1,000 years BC to the Egyptians on the River Nile. Today, it is valued as a diagnostic tool, although it can be a life-saver for people with heamochromatosis.
From the Nile the practice spread to the Greeks and the Romans and there are records of its use in nearly all civilisations including the Aztecs, the Mesopotamians and the Mayans. It achieved peak popularity in the Middle Ages, but bloodletting for therapy began to wane toward the end of the 19th century.
In ancient Greece the popularity of bloodletting was reinforced by Galen of Rome, a student of Hippocrates. There were two key concepts at this time that governed the system of bloodletting. The first was that it was thought that blood did not circulate around the body, it stagnated.
And the second was that many illnesses were due to an imbalance of the four humours. These were blood, black bile, phlegm and yellow bile. Galen believed that blood was the dominant humour and therefore the one needed to be kept under control. This could be achieved by draining the body of some its blood content. The more severe the disease, the more blood that would be let.
Even when the humeral theory of disease fell out of favour bloodletting was still continued by surgeons and barber-surgeons. In medieval times some surgical procedures were usually conducted not by physicians but by barbers.
The barber’s pole hails from this time and the spiral ribbons painted around the pole represent two long bandages; one was twisted around the patient’s arm before bleeding, and the other was used to bind it afterward.
At one time bloodletting was used to treat almost every disease, but by the middle of the 18th century it was falling out of favour. Even so, it was considered to be useful in some situations to release infected blood. Old practices die hard and as late as 1923 the practice was recommended in renowned physician Sir William Osler’s textbook The Principles and Practice of Medicine.
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
***THIS IS A SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER – Usual price £647
1 Day Theory + Dry Lab – Maxis signature course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads – 1 Day Fast Track Intensive. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for Medical practitioners working within the NHS or healthcare sector. Theory and Dry Lab on mannequins covering 18 competencies recommended by the Skills For Health Organisation. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your Day 1 theory session (within 6 weeks of attending Day 1).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
*** This is your stepping stone course into the NHS for medical newbies ***
2 Full Days of Theory + Dry Lab - learn from the basics. Course expertly trained by phlebotomy heads. Taught in a hospital/medical environment. Designed for NON-Medical people coming to healthcare for the first time.
Learn healthcare basics, phlebotomy basics, phlebotomy theory and phlebotomy dry lab (practice on mannequins). Lots of class interaction and role playing. Receive a Certificate of Attendance on successful completion. Learn all the basics you need to start practising phlebotomy today.
Then attend atleast 2 Sessions of Practice at a Local Medical Facility or Hospital where, under supervision, you take 10 or more bloods from Live Real-life patients. On successful completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Competency.
NOTE: Live Bloods Experience will be scheduled at a convenient time for you during your 2 Day course (within 6 weeks of attending).
A career in phlebotomy is highly rewarding and satisfying, but it’s not a walk in the park. You will be required to cope with the many physical demands of the job that come from constant patient contact , being on your feet most of the day, and working in a confined space.
To perform your duties you will be walking and sitting intermittently, and continuosly reaching, lifting, bending and carrying objects. You do not need to be an Olympic rower, but a good level of general health and fitness will enable you to meet the demands of the job.
Excellent finger dexterity and good hand-eye coordination are needed to handle equipment such as tests tubes, slides, needles, and hospital computers where information has to be recorded accurately.
Talking to and listing to patients all day can be tiring, but a phlebotomist must be alert at all times even if you feel your eyes glazing over at the end of a shift on a warm summer day.
Good communication skills are as important as your ability to expertly draw blood from a patient.
Other physical demands include the exposure to bodily fluids that could potentially harbour infectious particles, and you may also sometimes come into contact with odorous specimens and chemicals.
Little is known about the origin of bloodletting for diagnostic purposes but the practice has been employed for therapeutic purposes since ancient times.
Nearly every civilisation records examples of bleeding patients for the purpose of healing, using a wide variety of instruments. Some of these seem positively barbaric to us today.
The syringe – the precise record of the birth of the piston and cylinder syringe is lost in the sands of time, but its first use was as a “pus-puller” to get the pus out of wounds. The concept of the piston and cylinder dates back to about 280 BC and the inventor is thought to be Ktesibios, the son of a barber in Alexandra, Egypt.
The lancet – it is widely assumed that early blood letters would have used some kind of lancet to puncture a vein. And these would have initially been sharpened pieces of wood or stone. They are thought to have been used before the 5th century BC.
Spring loaded lancets – these were first employed in the early 18th century. The case was brass and the blade was made of steel. It was cocked by a hook at one end, and the depression of the button at the side would send the blade into the patient.
The scarificator – this was a spring loaded mechanism that could house multiple blades that would make many shallow cuts in a patient. Scarificators became popular in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
Cupping – once a scarificator had slashed away at a patient a cup was placed over the wound to collect the blood. Suction devices were added to the cup to allow for the removal of blood. Sometimes the air inside the cup was heated to create a vacuum which caused the blood to flow into the cup.
Bleeding bowls – since ancient times a large variety of vessels have been used to collect blood. Initially these were probably made from stone or pottery. In the 18th and 19th centuries tin and pewter were more commonplace. Bleeding bowls made from silver are also known.
Leeches – were initially used in ancient Greece, Rome, and Syria. They remain on the body by mucous and suction and inject an anticoagulant to stop the blood from clotting. And then they load up with the red stuff.
Leeches remain a fixture until they are full and then fall off to digest their blood meal. Boxes used to carry leeches are something of a collector’s item.
Phlebotomists can make a good living. Most jobs in the NHS are covered by a pay system known as the Agenda for Change pay scales. There a nine pay bands and typically employees will progress to the next point in their band until they reach the end of it.
Phlebotomists are in Band 2 and the current NHS payment rates in this band are: –
Band 2
Point 1 13,233
Point 2 13,588
Point 3 13,944
Point 4 14,359
Point 5 14,774
Point 6 15,190
Point 7 15,725
Point 8 16,333
These figures are correct as of April 1st, 2009. In addition to basic pay staff who work in areas such as London receive extra money to help toward the higher cost of living.
Phlebotomists who work through agencies can earn approximately £10-£15 per hour.
There is always the potential for phlebotomists with experience to increase their salary if they advance to supervisory positions or jobs in medical administrative management.
The hours that a phlebotomist works usually depends on where they work, but by and large full-time phlebotomists tend to work 37.5 hours per week during normal daytime hours, from Monday to Friday.
Many phlebotomists work part-time and combine their job with other roles such as a nurse or healthcare assistant.
A phlebotomist can work in a number of professional settings; wards, outpatient departments, hospital laboratories, GP practices, health centres and private pathology laboratories. Some phlebotomists will visit patients in their home or in residential care places.
Phlebotomists wear a uniform which tend to be white with a red or maroon piping, but they are not identical around the UK.
All healthcare workers have to comply with strict health and safety measures and guidelines which are designed to protect patients and members of staff. This will involve the need to wear disposable gloves, when taking, handling and transporting blood samples. Aprons and other forms of protective clothing are worn as required.
You do not require any specific qualifications to become a phlebotomist, but the Certificate of Competency will help you to stand out from the competition. It will set you up with the core competency skills, and it tells prospective employers that you are qualified to draw blood.
You may find it helpful to have a few good GCSE passes in subjects such as Maths and English. A grade A-C pass in a science subject could be beneficial if you want to progress further in your healthcare care.
Other qualifications that could you help you to win a position include the Diploma in Society, Health and Development, and BTEC Awards, Certificates and Diplomas in health and social care. A-levels may also improve your chances of achieving a position as a trainee phlebotomist.
Phlebotomists must at the very least have an interest in healthcare and a desire to work with patients. And it may also help your application if you are fascinated by, and have an interest in the way the human body works.
You do not need to know the intricate ins and outs of what goes where, or how it all fits together, but a genuine curiosity will always be looked on favourably by employers.
One of the most difficult parts of the job is dealing with children, especially if their parents haven’t prepared them for their visit. If they already know that they are going to have their blood taken then they don’t get nearly as upset as they would otherwise.
If you and your needle are a big surprise to them then you have your work cut out in trying to pacify their fears and explaining that there is absolutely nothing to be worried about.
But it’s not only children who are anxious and distressed, and how you communicate and support worried patients plays a big part in the overall outcome of the procedure.
Then there are the difficult draws, where you really have to go hunting to find a suitable vein. Sometimes they are too small, or have been damaged by intravenous drug use.
The other noteworthy challenges that you will face are the ability to manage all the competing demands on your time and ensuring that patient safety is paramount.
This means keeping errors at an absolute minimum and ensuring that any blood spills are dealt with swiftly and effectively to avoid the spread of blood borne pathogens.
The best way of avoiding human errors is to undergo comprehensive training and continuing education programmes.
The child is crying, his mother is nervous, you can’t find a vein, and there’s a waiting hall full of patients. Can you keep a cool head and remain calm under pressure?
In other words do you have what it takes to be a phlebotomist? It is a challenging, rewarding and worthwhile career and every successful phlebotomist needs to possess the following skills and personal qualities: –
• Have a caring and considerate manner, especially towards people who may be nervous and anxious. Interacting with patients is a key component of the job and it is important that you are compassionate with every kind of patient – from the injured to the healthiest
• Be able to work well with people of all ages and from different backgrounds
• Have very good manual dexterity
• Be able to respect confidentiality
• Be able to work well under pressure and with competing demands on your time
• Be able to work well on your own, but also as a vital part of a team
• You must not be squeamish at the sight of blood or around needles
• Be able to follow safety and local guidelines
• Keep up-to-date with the latest research related to phlebotomy and be willing to incorporate it into your work
Blood borne pathogens are those microorganisms which can cause disease and are present in the blood and other bodily fluids.
The disease-causing organisms can be present in a patient’s body even if the individual shows no sign of illness. They present a significant biohazard to the phlebotomist. Examples of blood borne pathogens are; –
HIV – the human immunodeficiency virus attacks the body’s immune system leaving it wide open to opportunistic infections. These are caused by microbes that don’t usually do us any harm.
HBV – the HBV virus infects the liver and causes hepatitis B. “Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. The virus has been known to survive for up to a week in dried blood and on surfaces such as desks and telephones.
The primary route of transmission in the work place is through needle stick injury. Outside of medical settings the virus is spread through sexual contact and the sharing of dirty needles. Symptoms include flu, muscle and joint ache, nausea and vomiting.
HCV – the HCV virus causes hepatitis C, a disease that affects the liver. It is spread by blood to blood contact and can lead to severe scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and liver cancer. HCV symptoms are similar to those of HBV infection.
Other blood borne pathogens include the organisms that cause malaria, West Nile virus, relapsing fever, viral haemorrhagic fever, syphilis and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. HIV, and hepatitis B and C provide the greatest risks to healthcare workers.
Safety of healthcare personnel is paramount and your hospital or facility should have a list of safety guidelines that must be followed. This will include an assumption that all patients’ bodily fluids are carriers of disease-causing organisms and that regular hand-washing before and after each procedure should be maintained.
Disposable gloves are worn where appropriate and a needle should be discarded in a sharps container after use, and never re-sheathed.
Haemolysis occurs when red blood cells rupture or break open, releasing haemoglobin and other sub cellular contents into the surrounding plasma.
This leaves a pinkish to reddish hue in the serum sample (from the haemoglobin) and interferes with the accuracy of the blood test. It is a common cause of specimen rejection by laboratories.
This is because the concentration of potassium is much higher inside a red blood cell than without. And so haemolysed blood will therefore have a higher potassium concentration. The level of test inaccuracy will depend on the degree of haemolysis. Other analytes can also produce inaccurate results.
Haemolysis can be due to incorrect specimen collection, specimen processing and specimen transport.
Haemolysis can be prevented by taking note of the following: -
• Avoid drawing blood from a hematoma
• Avoid pulling the syringe plunger back too forcefully
• Avoid prolonged tourniquet time as this can bring about the release of interstitial fluid into tissue which can cause haemolysis
• Avoid frothing by ensuring that the needle is fitted properly
• Avoid pushing the syringe plunger too forcibly when transferring the blood into a tube
• Avoid vigorous shaking of the serum samples
• Do not expose blood samples to excessive hot or cold temperatures
• Make sure that the needle isn’t too small. Otherwise it can lead to the creation of a large vacuum which will tear at red cell membranes causing them to rupture.
• Ensure that the venipuncture site is dry
The good news is that haemolysis can almost always be avoided when the reasons for its occurrence are understood.
Adhering to the rules of site selection is vital to avoid causing harm to patients.
The superficial veins of the upper limbs are usually selected as they are the most easily accessible, most numerous and minimise patient discomfort. These veins include the median cubital vein, the cephalic vein and the basilic vein.
Venipuncture site selection will depend on a number of factors including the accessibility of the vein. It should be easy to feel and stabilized, if not it’s time to look for another one. The vein must also be in a good condition so that it can easily accommodate the venipuncture. If it is in a bad shape it may collapse when punctured with the needle.
Patients who have had venipunctures before can sometimes help you select a site as they may have a favoured one.
Veins that should be avoided are those that appear fragile, fibrosed or bruised from injury. Sites close to infection or limbs where there is evidence of intravenous infusion should also not be chosen.
To choose the most suitable venipuncture site a phlebotomist should primarily make use of touch over sight. A suitable and healthy vein will feel “bouncy” when palpated. Contrast this with a thrombosed vein which will not provide an adequate amount blood and will feel stringy and cordlike.
Apply a tourniquet and ask the patient to gently close their hand to make the vein stand out. If the patient clenches their fist too tightly it could confuse the results as it’s known to raise serum potassium levels.
The phlebotomist should feel for the vein with the index finger by rolling it back and forth, which will also help to determine its size. Follow its path and then palpate. Do not leave the tourniquet on for more than a minute as this can cause flawed results.
If a suitable vein is elusive apply hot, moist towels around the site which will cause the vein to dilate and become more apparent.
Haemochromatosis is a medical condition where the body absorbs too much iron from the diet. The body needs iron to function normally but when there excess it will accumulate in organs and damage them.
Phlebotomy is an acceptable first-line treatment where blood draws reduce the levels of iron in the body.
If the haemochromatosis is not detected early and treated iron will accumulate in the body and this can lead to a variety of problems including; arthritis, liver disease, early menopause, cirrhosis of the liver, damage to the adrenal glands and heart abnormalities
There are several different types of haemochromatosis including – 1) primary haemochromatosis, which is also known as hereditary haemochromatosis 2) secondary haemochromatosis, which is caused by a number of disorders including alcoholism and anaemia 3) juvenile haemochromatosis and 4) neonatal haemochromatosis.
The main causes of hereditary haemochromatosis are mutations in a gene known as HFE. The gene has many roles, but its principal one is to help regulate the amount of iron absorbed from food. The two principal mutations that researchers are aware of are C282Y and H63D.
An individual inherits two copies of the HFE gene, one from their mother and one from their father. If a person only inherits one mutated version of the gene they will not develop the symptoms of the disease, but they will be carriers and could pass the mutation onto their children.
To acquire the disease a person must inherit an abnormal gene from both parents. This is known as an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance and when both parents are carriers of haemochromatosis there is a one in four chance of their offspring developing the condition.
However, there is one form of the disease that follows an autosomal dominant pattern form inheritance and that is haemochromatosis type 4. Here, only one mutated gene is sufficient to cause the disease. In this situation most people will have one parent with the condition.
Julie Evans Takes Phlebotomy Certification Training
Hello, my name is Julie Evans. I found out about this course on the internet. I found it to be a very enjoyable course, very relaxed, very informative. I am feeling quite proud of myself that I’ve just taken my first blood.
Raised potassium levels in the blood can be indicative of kidney or heart disease. But potassium levels can also be drastically raised if a patient clenches their fist tightly during a phlebotomy procedure.
Phlebotomists have therefore been advised not to let their patients clench their fists tightly, as the potential to confuse the results is too great.
The proof of this phenomenon came from a report that appeared in 2008 in the Annals of Clinical Biochemistry.
Study co-author and biochemist Vanessa Thurlow first became aware of the problem when her department was bombarded with an increasing number of queries about unexpectedly high serum potassium results.
One of her thoughts was that perhaps this intracellular potassium leakage had been brought on by low temperature and long transit time of samples? This has been well documented before.
However, five samples showed persistent high levels of potassium despite prompt analysis. So the patients were re-bled and asked not to clench their fists. The result was that normal potassium levels were recorded.
And this is what prompted Thurlow and her co-author Ian Bailey to carry out their wider study. They looked at 200,000 blood test results taken between 2002 and 2005.
During this period there was a change in practice when patients of the health care trust involved were no longer asked to clench their fists.
The results showed that the percentage of blood tests with worryingly high levels of potassium fell off significantly after the change in practice.
The impact of clenched fists on phlebotomy results has been known for more than 40 years, but generations of phlebotomists have still been taught to ask their patients to clench.
Of course clenching and then relaxing a fist improves blood flow and makes a vein stand out more, but it is not considered best practice.
Other factors such as cooler temperature during transport of serum does affect blood potassium levels. But the study authors considered these changes to be too modest.
Anu Student Radiographer Takes Phlebotomy Certification Training
Hi, my name is Anu. I’m a student radiographer. I found out about this phlebotomy course online. I’ve had a really good day today. I’ve done two days so far of the theory and practical, and I’ve learnt a lot of skills that are going to help with with my future career as a radiographer, but also I can be a phlebotomist as well, which has a lot of career opportunities and it’s very interesting. I’ve learnt so much and I’m glad I came. Thank you.
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My name is Vicky Goodman. I searched Google for a phlebotomy course and came up with Maxis Healthcare course. I read a lot about it, found it very interesting, and thought I would just go further with the course. I actually enrolled in the course and found it very stimulating, very enjoyable. On my first day, I took my first blood draw and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Vicky Goodman
I really enjoyed the practical training with the doctors, dealing with the patients and drawing blood. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
Although I had some instruction in phlebotomy in medical school, I felt that my phlebotomy skills could still be improved. This course was run in a very structured and easy to understand manner. The lecturer had a very good style of delivery of lectures and the sessions were quite interactive. I learnt a lot about other aspects of phlebotomy such as the importance of establishing good rapport with the patient so as to reduce their anxiety and fears when undergoing blood tests. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
Hello, my name is Vishni and I am a final year medical student. I attended this phlebotomy course, and I found it really enjoyable and useful. I think it’s going to be useful for my career as a doctor because I’ll improve on my skills of taking blood, and also the team work involved and appreciating other members of the health community.
Vishni Vishni
I am so glad that I now know how to take blood samples without giving any grief to the patients. Now I can take blood samples more confidently. Phlebotomy is a new career for me and this is a great start. I liked the staff very much esp. the lecturer who was smart and made things simple to understand. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
Dr. Imran Phlebotomy Certification Course Training
I came here and I was wondering about the phlebotomy course and I saw it on the internet about the course, and then came here in the morning and saw the lecture, and I feel very, very confident about that. They gave me fine support about the course, and from the morning to the evening, we were taught many, many things.
Dr. Imran
Karen From Philippines – Phlebotomy Certification Training
Hi, I am Karen from the Philippines and I found Maxis Healthcare through the internet. I've always been curious about phlebotomy, but know I a lot and thank you. The lecturers were very great, very concise, and very patient. That means a lot, especially for people who know nothing about phlebotomy.
Karen
Okay, I am Dr. Somniya from [___]. I am basically a dentist, but I wanted to do a phlebotomy course and then complete my ORE exam to work as a dentist here. The main thing which I got from this course is that it is very interesting and I got more confident to draw blood from patients.
Student Dr. Somniya
Mr. Saquib – Phlebotomy Certification Course Training
I found the course through one of my friends who saw it over the internet, and he then offered for me to do the course. Then we came here in Parkhouse, in Broadway, in Maxis Healthcare Center. After completing the course I am now very confident about my profession in phlebotomy. I am very hopeful that I am going to find a job very soon.
Mr. Saquib
Dev From India Takes Phlebotomy Certification Training My name is Dev. The course was very interesting, I learned a lot in the lectures and the practical because it was extremely very good. Thank you.
Dev Dev
Hello. I’m Devika, I’m from [___ INAUDIBLE], so I came to attend today’s training course on phlebotomy. I’m happy. I’m really satisfied with this course and we had good trainers Debbie and Kate, so it was quite interesting and stimulating. I would recommend it for anyone.
Devika Devika
Just a quick thank you for a great seminar and training. I found the information and method of delivery to be excellent. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
I am currently in the second year of my nursing diploma and wanted to improve my skills in phlebotomy.
I particularly enjoyed the training provided using the manikins as well as the informative tips on successful venepuncture. The lessons learnt will help me become a better trained nurse in the future. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
The course has taught me a lot about the standards of phlebotomy in the UK. The practical sessions with the mannequins were useful as I had never done this before. It has also given me a window into the world of clinical medicine which will help me prepare for work as a junior doctor in the UK. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
My background is not medical so I was nervous before attending the course. However, the group discussions really helped me and allowed me to ask all the questions I needed to to get a full understanding. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
Overall I enjoyed the course but most of all, the layout of the presentation was fantastic. The course leader was so caring and very helpful. I will certainly be recommending to my other colleagues. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
Hello, I am Dr. Pragnesh Patel. I am an Ioda consultant and I did masters from [____] University in India and now I came here to UK for the last two and a half years. I found one of the best ever healthcare, which is Maxis Healthcare who is just going to train the phlebotomist, and I came here to attend the course and it was very informative. I am very pleased that I came here. The instructor was very nice. I will admit, they are one of the best that I have ever met. Many thanks.
Dr. Pragnesh Patel Dr. Pragnesh Patel
Hello, my name is Jose. My background is that I'm from Africa, and normally I am a support worker. I've been working for FK Agency. I wanted to develop my career to be a phlebotomist, that's why I started to do training with the phlebotomist course. I would encourage you, the course is very, very interesting. If you are wanting to do it, I would encourage you to come and do it. It is a very, very nice course because I really like to help people recover from their sickness. That's why I enjoyed doing this course. Thank you.
Student Jose D
I’m Natalie, actually from [___INAUDIBLE], actually I’m a lab technician. I would like to expect more knowing the [___INAUDIBLE]. I found this very good web site in Maxis Healthcare about phlebotomy. I came here and the course is just really great. Besides the skills, they really taught a lot of things other than skills, how to treat the patients and everything else. It’s really a good class. Thank you.
Natalie Natalie
A fine course, the material was good, and I feel will help me to move forward in my career path. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
I will be recommending you to my colleagues. A definite investment in my future. The course material and especially the dummy manikin we practised on was great. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
My name is Dr. Esther. I’ve been in healthcare for two years now. I was looking for something to help me to improve my English and my medical vocabulary, so when I found out about this course, Maxis Health, through the internet my husband told me about it and we were interested, so we took all the details about the course and we decided to attend the course. Attending this course, I’ve been very, very excited and satisfied because I’ve got many medical vocabularies, and not only that, but I’ve also got the technique of how to get the blood from a patient. Anyway, I have thought about that, how to collect the blood from a patient to get analyzed, during my exam because I never actually saw it. I’ve thought about it and now I’ve done it. I’m very, very, very satisfied. Thank you very much.
Dr. Esther Dr. Esther
Sara – Phlebotomy Certification Training Testimonial
Today I feel really good and I have learned a lot from that course, and I would invite other people to come into it and learn. The practical was good and actually doing the live taking blood was really, really good and very exciting.
Sara
I learned all the ins and outs of Phlebotomy. The course was fun! Before I attended I was not sure how I was going to learn a new profession so quickly, but I feel I have. The course teacher was friendly and caring and didn't stop smiling for the whole day. Great. Thank you. **CLICK HERE TO READ MORE**
