Phlebotomy Technician

The phlebotomist is a vital member of the clinical laboratory team, whose main function is to obtain patient’s blood specimens by venipuncture and micro-collection for testing purposes. Phlebotomists are employed throughout the healthcare system including in hospitals, neighborhood health centers, medical group practices, HMO’s, public health facilities, veteran hospitals, insurance carriers, and in other healthcare settings. The demand for phlebotomy technicians has increased substantially with the overall complexity of healthcare services and the risks of infectious disease. Current healthcare industry experts predict a 15% increase in phlebotomy jobs by 2024.

This program prepares learners to collect blood specimens from clients for the purpose of laboratory analysis. Learners will become familiar with all aspects of blood collection and will review the skills needed to perform venipunctures safely. Topics in this course include medical terminology, related anatomy and physiology, blood collection procedures, and procedures for collection of other types of specimens within the scope of practice of the phlebotomist.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Explain the steps in selected specimen collection procedures performed by the phlebotomy technician
• Explain the safety procedures in the healthcare setting and specifically in performing specimen collection procedures
• Identify specific supplies and equipment used in selected specimen collection procedures
• Explain precautions and guidelines when collecting specimens in special populations such as pediatrics and geriatrics
• Define quality of care and explain the impact on patient medical care when quality and safety are compromised in phlebotomy procedures
• Describe the anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and medical terminology associated with phlebotomy
• Describe the requirements of the successful phlebotomy career including desired character traits, training and education, roles and responsibilities
• Explain how phlebotomists communicate with others in the healthcare setting verbally, nonverbally, within the health record, and using computer systems
• Identify common legal issues, ethical issues, and regulatory issues commonly impacting the phlebotomist

Certification Opportunities

After completing this program, learners will have the option to take the leading national/industry-recognized certification exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing field.

National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Phlebotomy Technician Certification (CPT)

Job and Externship Placement Services

Regardless if you elect to pursue national certification or not, if you enroll and successfully complete this program, assuming you pass a background check and drug screen, you will have guaranteed access to our Ready to Work (RTW) Job and Externship Placement services. All students who successfully complete this program (and pass a background check and drug screen) will have access to the RTW Externship or Job placement services at no additional cost.

Please note that if you choose Ready to Work (RTW) Externship Placement, you must be available to attend your RTW Externship on a full-time or part-time basis, Monday through Friday, between 7am – 5pm (minimum of 4 hours per day) for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days per week. Evening and weekend externships are not available, with the exception of Pharmacy Technician, which may have evening and weekend opportunities. Externships must be completed in person at the employer facility during the scheduled hours. With the exception of Medical Billing & Coding (MBC) students, remote externships are not available. Additionally, remote RTW Job Placements are very limited. Students have 6 months from course completion to request RTW placement services. After 6 months, a refresher course is required to be eligible for RTW placement services.