For you to be able to get a phlebotomy certification, you ought to complete a course in the field of phlebotomy, a training course which is more or less mandatory to be able to get any kind of certification in phlebotomy. Phlebotomy training course is also often a prerequisite in order to get employed as phlebotomist at most healthcare facilities. Depending on where you undertake your training, the course could be slightly different, but most basic concepts are the same. This article gives you a general guide of what to expect in a phlebotomy training course.
1. Blood sampling – be advised that the procedure of collecting blood will vary from person to person and different situations will call for different ways of doing the same. As such, as a phlebotomist, you will need to know the best method to collect a blood sample, in the quickest and most painless way possible. For instance, collecting a sample of blood from an obese person is quite different from collecting the same from a child
2. Professional etiquette – a training in professional etiquette equip learners with the skills to interact with patients, behave appropriately when around patients and staff, and avoid behaviors that will make patients uncomfortable.
3. Computer training – at this time and age, computer literacy is a prerequisite since all hospitals today use computers to track important patient information. Computer training as a phlebotomist may include keeping track of records, entering data, or updating patient’s records.
4. CPR—while not a requirement in all programs, some training programs would require one to be certified in CPR as the knowledge and skills acquired come in handy in cases of emergency.
5. Lab safety – for you to be a competent phlebotomist, you ought to be comfortable using all types of laboratory equipment and to be aware of all lab safety procedures, hence the need for some formal training.
6. Blood composition – for you to be able to understand the effect of pathogens on blood, you ought to first understand the composition of blood because as a phlebotomist, you might be called upon to get a blood sample from a patient with an infectious disease; hence it is good to have some background knowledge on how the blood could be affected.
7. Human anatomy – most training courses in phlebotomy offer classes that focus of equipping learners with the knowledge of human anatomy. Because you will be dealing with the human body, more specifically veins, it pays to know how the circulatory system functions and prime locations for drawing blood etc.