There are many career paths that those with medical training can take. While doctors, surgeons, and nurses may be the first professions that you think of, medical assistants are valuable members of healthcare environments and ones that make each visit, exam, and test go smoothly. One aspect of their job responsibilities that shouldn’t be ignored is phlebotomy. Here, the team at Prism Career Institute will help you understand how expert phlebotomy skills can enable you to excel in your career.
What Is a Phlebotomist?
Phlebotomists are medical specialists who are qualified to perform phlebotomies. A phlebotomy is also known as a blood draw or venipuncture, during which a medical professional, often a medical assistant or phlebotomist, uses a needle to draw blood from the vein. The needle is typically inserted into the arm, but phlebotomists are also trained in other blood-drawing techniques. Heel pricks are designed solely for infants, while finger pricks can be used to identify blood type or test blood sugar. These specialists can also perform blood transfusions.
Once the medical professional has drawn the blood, it will generally be sent to a laboratory for testing. These tests can help diagnose ailments and monitor specific health conditions. Phlebotomist jobs are often found in hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and clinical laboratories. However, phlebotomists are also called upon to work blood drives, allowing members of the community to donate blood and help save lives.
How Does a Phlebotomy Help?
When drawing blood for testing, phlebotomists are key to ensuring illnesses and diseases are discovered and the proper treatment method is taken. Without today’s blood testing technology, doctors would have a much more difficult time identifying and treating medical conditions. Some of the tests that these specialists may draw blood for include:
- Complete blood count (CBC): This common test is used to determine the overall number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets and can help monitor anemia.
- Basic metabolic count: This test assesses glucose, calcium, and sodium levels, helping identify and evaluate the risk of diabetes, hormone balance, and more.
- Thyroid test: Here, lab experts can analyze the hormones that stimulate the thyroid to see if weight loss, anxiety, or other symptoms are signs of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
- Blood glucose test: This blood test is typically used to monitor type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
- Vitamin D blood test: Helping assess one’s Vitamin D count, this test can detect osteoporosis and bone fragility.
Aside from these more common blood tests, these medical professionals can perform therapeutic phlebotomies. This type of phlebotomy is used as a treatment for conditions like hemochromatosis, sickle cell disease, and fatty liver disease.
What Phlebotomy Skills Will You Need for This Career?
Certified phlebotomists do more than just draw blood, which is why you’ll need special traits and abilities to excel in the position. These include:
Communication
Patients who are dealing with illnesses or diseases are likely already stressed about their situation. A well-trained phlebotomist will need to give them a quick rundown of the procedure and what it entails. It’s best to use simple terms and be able to answer any questions they may have to set their minds at ease.
A Calming Presence
It probably won’t surprise you to hear that many patients hate getting blood drawn. This can make life as a phlebotomist difficult. However, you’ll be tasked with helping ease their fears and, given the nature of the procedure, keeping them calm so everything will go smoothly.
A Steady Hand
Inserting a needle into one’s vein isn’t easy. It will take proper training and experience before you’re ready to enter the working world. You’ll need to exhibit patience and accuracy, especially with children and nervous patients.
Organizational Skills
Because you likely will perform many blood draws on a given day, labeling and organizing the blood samples is paramount. Getting anything mixed up can cause delays, which will prevent diagnoses and treatments that could severely impact patients’ lives.
Check Out Our Medical Assistant Programs
Honing the proper phlebotomy skills is easy when you learn from the experienced instructors at Prism Career Institute. Because phlebotomy training is included in our medical assistant program, students in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, New Jersey, can get excited about the direction their career is headed in.
You’ll find loans and grants you may be eligible for through our financial aid office, and we even offer a career services department to help you get your foot in the door when it comes to employment. Find out what makes our programs special and apply today if you’re ready to start your educational journey.