Phlebotomist work | Phlebotomist employment, description and duties | Phlebotemist
An integral part of the health care team, phlebotomist technician jobs are available for those who have the skill and proper training. Gone are the days when a phlebotomy work is simply someone who can
stick a needle in a patient’s arm and get blood out. Today, in addition to being able to obtain an appropriate specimen, the technician must have other skills also integrating them into the healthcare team.
The job of phlebotomist technicians job provides a combination of laboratory work with patient contact. The phlebotomists job is not only to draw blood samples from patients but the samples must be labeled, prepared, and stored in ways appropriate to their use for specific testing. Since certain laboratory tests are done on whole blood, others on just plasma or cells, specimens must be separated and/or mixed with certain chemicals at the time they are drawn. The phlebotomist technician must know the proper procedure for each test or the result will be inaccurate.
In the day of information technology, specimens must also be appropriately labeled. Information from the laboratory tests will need to be disseminated properly to ordering physician(s), and often times hospitals and other health care providers. The phlebotomist technician will need the technical skills to manage these information systems as well as the skill to disseminate this information to the appropriate healthcare providers when necessary.
Jobs in the healthcare industry are currently plentiful and phlebotomy employment is no exception. The phlebotomist technician can work in a variety of settings from laboratory draw stations, blood banks, physician offices, and clinics to hospitals and outpatient surgery centers. Many phlebotomist combine these skills with those of other laboratory specialist to give their job a larger scope. Another common avenue of training is to add the training and experience of an ECG technician making the phlebotomist more versatile. With added skills their usefulness in the physician office or outpatient center is greater.
There are some risks involved in being a phlebotomist technician. Phlebotomist work is not all fun and games, Handling blood and blood products puts the phlebotomist at risk for diseases such as HIV and more importantly hepatitis B and C. It is important that persons pursuing a career as a phlebotomist technician be appropriately vaccinated prior to coming in contact with patients. It is also important that the protocols to protect both the technician and the patient are always strictly maintained.
Phlebotomist work is also an excellent job for the person wishing to return to the work force or to change careers. Due to the relatively short course requirements that may be fulfilled at a local college or allied health school, a phlebotomist technician student could be ready for employment within one year or less.
As a vital part of the healthcare team, a phlebotomist technician is a position with a combination of direct patient care, laboratory, and information technology skills. A variety of working environments are available and the future outlook for job availability and salaries are excellent in this field. A career as a phlebotomist technician would be an excellent choice for someone desiring employment in direct patient care within the healthcare industry.
