There is more to Phlebotomist Jobs that just Drawing Blood

While it is assumed that all that a phlebotomist does in a typical work day is draw blood to be sent for testing, the truth of the matter is that your job involves more than just that.

Jobs for phlebotomists involve carrying out specific tasks in such a way that you make sure each patient is handled correctly.

Here is what you need to keep in mind while on a phlebotomist jobs -

1.     Preparing for Each Patient

Your job will be to make sure that you maintain a clean work environment that is sanitized at all times. This will benefit your patients, your peers as well as yourself. Before you take in a patient, make sure that you clean all the spills and dispose of all the materials considered as hazardous waste. Make sure you use a prescribed cleaning agent that acts as an effective disinfectant.

It will also be your responsibility to make sure your inventory is in place. Before your patients start walking in, make sure you have enough gauze, butterflies, alcohol wipes, tape, needles and tourniquets. Stock up on vials and labels to make sure you can perform a safe venipuncture.

2.     Skin Punctures and Venipunctures

A major part of your day will go in catering to patients who require skin or venipunctures. It is important that you perform all the procedures correctly the first time around so that the patient will not have to come back for another prick. Assessing which vein will be the easiest to prick can help add to the comfort for your patient. Also, make sure you are trained on how to manage blood in the vials.

It is also important that you label your blood samples immediately. The labels will contain information regarding the patient name, ID and the tests that need to be conducted. Even though the lab runs these tests, it will be your job to make sure the samples reach the lab with all the important information.

As a blood collection expert, you will be able to leverage several work opportunities with hospitals, labs and doctor offices. You may also be expected to perform some basic nursing duties.