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Phlebotomist

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Job Description

The Phlebotomists' primary job is to collect blood samples from patients. Phlebotomists must be specially trained to draw blood samples by skin puncture or venipuncture. Blood may be drawn for testing in a clinical laboratory or may be collected for a blood bank. Phlebotomists must be familiar with medical terminology and have data entry skills to register patients, look up provider orders, and patient laboratory test results on computer information systems. After collecting blood specimens, phlebotomists also process and prepare blood and other body fluid specimens for on-site testing or for shipment to another laboratory for testing.

Hospitals, doctors' offices, blood donation centers, clinics and nursing homes employ phlebotomists.

Educational Programs/Qualifications

To qualify for certification as a Limited Phlebotomy Technician (LPT) , a candidate must have completed 20 hours of basic didactic/classroom instruction from a phlebotomy training program approved by the California Department of Health Services. The applicant must also have completed at least 25 skin punctures under the general overall supervision of persons qualified to train the applicant. No examination is required. LPT's are only allowed to perform skin punctures.

To qualify for certification as a Certified Phlebotomy Technician I (CPT I), applicants must complete a minimum of 40 hours of didactic/classroom instruction in basic and advanced phlebotomy techniques from a phlebotomy training program approved by the California Department of Health Services. They must also successfully complete a minimum of 40 hours of practical instruction in a clinical setting performing venipuncture on actual patients from a variety of age groups and health conditions. A national certification examination is required.

Links to Additional Career Information

Organizations Which Offer Certifying Exams for Phlembotomists

  • American Certification Agency
    P.O. Box 58, Osceola, IN 46561
    www.acacert.com
    574-277-4538
  • National Healthcareer Association
    134 Evergreen Place, 9th Floor,
    East Orange , NJ 07018
    www.nhanow.com
    800-499-9092
  • American Medical Technologists
    710 Higgins Road
    Park Ridge, IL 60068
    www.amt1.com
    847-823-5169
  • National Center for Competency Testing
    7007 College Boulevard, Suite 250
    Overland Park, KS 66211
    www.ncctinc.com
    (913) 498-1000
  • American Society for Clinical Pathology
    2100 West Harrison Street
    Chicago, IL 60612
    www.ascp.org
    312-738-1336
  • National Credentialing Agency
    P.O. Box 15945-289
    Lenexa , KS 66285
    www.nca-info.org
    913-438-5110

Offered at the following colleges