Phlebotomy Learning Objectives

• Phlebotomists are versed in a variety of techniques. Monkey Business Images Ltd/Valueline/Getty Images

  Phlebotomists have an important function in the healthcare system. Drawing blood allows health professionals to diagnose diseases, take blood donations from volunteers and analyze and confirm the health status of both the sick and healthy. Proficiency in drawing blood is an objective of phlebotomy training programs; however, there are many other factors involved in a phlebotomy curriculum.

Healthcare System

• The phlebotomy student should be familiar with all aspects of the healthcare delivery system, and should study the roles of key staff. This knowledge will help phlebotomists understand their role within the larger healthcare system.

Medical Terminology

• Medical terminology is the language used throughout the healthcare system, and consists of names and definitions of complicated medical procedures, diseases and parts of the human body. Once the phlebotomy student learns this language, he can navigate his job much more smoothly.

Anatomy and Physiology

• Phlebotomists often draw blood from arm veins, but this is not always possible. It is important that phlebotomy students learn to draw blood from different parts of the body, including the hands and feet. Before beginning to practice, they need to have an understanding of anatomy (body structure) and physiology (body function). Knowledge of anatomy and physiology can help a phlebotomist better understand what he is doing and how the human body will react to these procedures.

Venipuncture

• Venipuncture is the act of drawing blood from an individual's veins. The phlebotomist should be proficient at this task, as it is one of his primary duties. The task of venipuncture is not always straightforward, as a blood draw patient can be of any age and health condition. Younger patients will likely require a smaller butterfly needle, while patients with certain chronic illnesses may be harder to extract blood from and may require blood draw attempts from multiple body sites. Phlebotomists have to be able to determine the best tools and methods to acquire blood from patients. Blood draw should be done accurately so that blood will not have to be drawn a second time.

Specimen Handling

• Phlebotomists need to be conscious of correct specimen labeling and laboratory procedures. These procedures ensure that healthcare personnel can keep track of which patient's blood is in collection tubes at all times. One of the worst things that could happen is a mix up in blood specimens or performance of the wrong test on a specimen for a patient needing immediate test results. Forms that accompany the blood specimens need to be thoroughly understood, accurately filled out and sent to the lab for further processing.

Infection Control

• Blood has the capacity to transmit several diseases, including HIV and Hepatitis B. It is imperative for the phlebotomist who wants to prevent disease transmission while handling blood to learn proper safety precautions. He should learn the importance of proper glove use, the correct way to handle and discard needles, and how to keep work areas and tools sterile and clean.