When you are at the doctor’s office, hospital, or even clinic, you are typically asked most of the time whether you would donate blood. Your blood is going to be examined to know what is happening within you. But have you ever wondered about who does your blood drawing? The one who is so careful to draw it out is a phlebotomist.
Phlebotomy is the scientific method of drawing the blood of a patient for clinical testing, transfusion, research, or donation. It’s an easy-looking work, but it is a very scientific field. It requires appropriate training, patience, and care.
Today, in this blog, we are going to enlighten you regarding what phlebotomy is, what a phlebotomist is, why phlebotomy is important, education required, career opportunities, and why this sector is expanding so quickly.
What is Phlebotomy?
Phlebotomy is the medical term for poking blood with a needle. Phleb is Greek for “vein” and tomy is “to cut.” So, in literal terms, phlebotomy is to pull blood from a vein.
This blood is then:
- Sent to a lab to be tested for diseases.
- Pumped to a patient who needs blood (transfusion).
- Stored to be used in an emergency case (blood banks).
- Used for research.
Without phlebotomy, doctors cannot easily see what’s wrong with the human body.
What is a Phlebotomist?
Phlebotomist is a medical technologist who has been trained to pull blood safely and carefully. It is not just a stick with a needle. They must:
- Enforce tranquilization of the patient.
- Discover the best vein through which blood can be pulled.
- Pull out blood without hurting the body.
- Label the samples properly so that they will not become confused.
- Send blood to the laboratory for testing.
Phlebotomists spend most of their time in laboratories, hospitals, blood banks, clinics, and even on mobile units which travel from one place to another.
Why Phlebotomy is Important
Phlebotomy is highly important in medicine. Here’s why:
Disease Diagnosis
Lab tests can determine if a person has diseases such as diabetes, infection, anemia, high cholesterol, and even cancer.
Health Monitoring
Physicians use routine blood tests to follow treatments successfully, such as following the blood glucose level for diabetic patients.
Blood Donations
Phlebotomists help to provide life-saving blood donations in case a person undergoes surgery, accident, or illness.
Research
Physicians’ research helps to test new treatments, vaccines, or medications with the help of blood samples.
Physicians and scientists would be much more ignorant without phlebotomy to keep individuals in good health.
The Blood Drawing Process
It is a rapid draw to take blood but should be done in the proper manner. This is the process as such:
The phlebotomist wears gloves and then washes his or her hands.
The patient is seated comfortably with his or her arm extended.
A tourniquet (bandage wrap) is put around the upper region of the arm so veins will become more prominent.
The site (the inside of the elbow, typically) is wiped with alcohol.
The needle is inserted slowly into the vein in a sterile state.
Blood is sucked up into a syringe or tube for storage.
When sufficient blood is collected, the needle is withdrawn.
Cotton or band-aid is applied to the site to prevent bleeding.
The sample is labeled and sent out to the lab.
It takes only a few minutes to take the test.
Skills One Must Have in Order to be a Phlebotomist
It is not just needling to be a phlebotomist. Some of the abilities one requires are:
- Communication: Calming patients, particularly children, by calming them down.
- Attention to Detail: Stamping in the right manner so as not to ruin it.
- Steady Hands: Inserting the needle in the right and proper manner.
- Compassion: The patients are already in fear of needles, so compassion is needed.
- Basic Medicine Knowledge: Knowledge of the safety protocol and the way in which the blood specimens are to be handled.
Training and Education
If you are going to be a phlebotomist, you will typically need to be in a phlebotomy training program. This training can be found at most technical schools, community colleges, and health care training centers.
The training often includes:
- Anatomy and physiology (study of veins and the human anatomy).
- Correct technique of blood drawing.
- Safety and infection control.
- Preparation and identification of blood samples.
- Practice on live patients.
All the courses run for several months. Most phlebotomists sit for a certification exam after training to provide evidence of competency.
Career Opportunities in Phlebotomy
Phlebotomists are much in demand across the entire health care industry. They may be utilized in:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Diagnostic laboratories
- Blood banks
- Research facilities
- Mobile donation centers
Since there will never cease to be a demand for health care, this occupation is said to be secure.
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Average Salary
Although salaries do fluctuate depending on geographical location, the average American phlebotomist makes $35,000–$45,000 per year. More experienced phlebotomists or those working in a larger clinical setting may make even more.
The Perks of Being a Phlebotomist
There are several reasons why an individual would want to be such a professional:
- Brevity in Training: It will be months long compared to a doctor or a nurse.
- Job Security: Medical professionals are never in short supply.
- Helping Others: Phlebotomists save lives daily.
- Flexibility: The majority of the jobs offer day, night, and weekend shifts.
- Gateway to Health Career: Phlebotomy serves as a stepping stone for other health professions, such as nursing or lab technology.
Challenges of Phlebotomy
Phlebotomy, like any profession, has challenges too:
- Dealing with Nervous Patients: There are patients who are needle phobic.
- Standing for a Long Period of Time: Phlebotomists spend most of their working time standing.
- Risk of Exposure: They must also be careful of a spurious prick of the needle.
- Repetitive Task: It gets monotonous drawing blood day in and day out.
With practice and good training, however, most phlebotomists find that they like the job.
The Future of Phlebotomy
Phlebotomy is a career that just keeps growing. With an increasing number of clinics, hospitals, and laboratories opening their doors, there are never too many job openings for certified phlebotomists.
Career is also being transformed with the help of technology. Vein-finding devices, new technology, are simplifying the process and making it safer. But no matter how advanced technology becomes, the care and gentle touch of a phlebotomist cannot be replaced.
Patient Tips for Having Blood Drawn
If you ever have to donate blood, here are some patient tips to remember:
- Drink water before your visit to make your veins more visible.
- Breathe slowly and calm down.
- Tell the phlebotomist if you feel dizzy or anxious.
- Avoid gazing at the needle if you have a fear of needles.
- Make sure you take special instructions, such as fasting before lab tests.
Most patients report that it is quick and less painful than expected.
Conclusion
Phlebotomy is medicine’s lesser but quite possibly most important element. Physicians would be deprived of the knowledge they need to diagnose, heal, and save lives without phlebotomists.
Phlebotomists employ skill, empathy, and commitment to reassure patients as they extract one of the greatest treasures of the human form—blood. For the rest of us who do not have to spend decades in medical school, phlebotomy is an ideal career.
It’s a career that keeps growing, is secure, and above all, contributes in a good way to human life.