Pre-analytical Phase - Phlebotomy Technicians
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Phlebotomy is usually by a phlebotomist, although medical practitioners, EMTs, paramedics, medical technologists, and nursing staff are also trained to take blood. Phlebotomists are also referred to as allied health professionals, and they draw blood for laboratory testing from patients. Nurses, medical technologists, and laboratory mangers supervise phlebotomists.
In addition, phlebotomists are also responsible for:
1. Providing proper explanation to the patients about the procedure being performed, patient considerations, and knowing the Patients Bill of Rights.
2. Basic record keeping for laboratory reports in patient files
3. Preparing stains and laboratory reagents
4. Maintaining lab equipment including sterilization and disinfection
5. Examining patients to take vital signs - temperature, blood pressure, and pulse and respiration rate
6. Transportation of urine and fecal samples to reference lab for testing
Training in the technical skill of blood collection is required for a professional phlebotomist. The phlebotomist is the critical link between the patient and the testing laboratory. Professional phlebotomists is proficient in drawing blood using various methods like venipuncture, capillary blood collections and to perform special skin punctures, such a collecting specimens from infants in neonatal care units as per the sample requirements. Collection of blood from indwelling catheter lines is another field of specialization for phlebotomists.
In addition to specimen collection, phlebotomist should understand and practice the associated areas of handling, processing, and transportation. Appropriate methods of collection, preservation, and processing blood samples must be recognized by phlebotomist. Depending on the tests required, usually a 5 to 25mL sample of blood is enough for collection. Though phlebotomists do blood collection routinely, but medical practitioners, EMTs, paramedics, other nursing staff are also trained to take blood.
Due to the relative ease of obtaining blood samples, many studies are done on blood in diseased and normal states. Much valuable information is available to physicians in timely manner and low cost with least discomfort to the patients. Certain routine blood tests are part of new hospital admissions, in hematology and chemistry departments. Blood is also cultured in microbiology department. Immunological and serology tests are performed by detection of antibodies in patient blood serum. Majority of immunology tests are done on serum for which blood is collected in a plain tube and allowed to clot completely before being centrifuged.
The medical laboratory is an integral part of the workings of the hospital or clinical process. It is proved that up to 85% of the patients clinical decisions are based upon the information derived from laboratory testing. Minor errors in pre-analytical procedures or small changes in test results can factor into major changes in patient treatments. Physicians depend upon the quality of the data that medical lab technicians produce for diagnosing conditions, managing treatments or therapy, and to determining the prognosis of disease.
There are many opportunities present for making mistakes during phlebotomy, which result due to high personnel turnover rates, lack of understanding about good laboratory practices, and inadequate training. Many common errors constitute of patient misidentification, and collection of unsuitable specimens for testing due to unsuited venous accesses, venous stasis, inappropriate collection devices and containers. For better health care system and patient care, standardization of phlebotomy techniques, continuous education, certification, and training of health care professionals involved in blood collection responsibilities is required which will result in high quality specimens.
Though it is not required for the phlebotomist to get licensed in all the states, but certification is an asset for getting a job as a phlebotomist. Practicing phlebotomists requirements for certification are different in every state. It is mandatory to get licensed for "all persons who are not doctors, nurses or clinical lab scientists" in the states of California and Louisiana. In remaining states, phlebotomists can draw blood under proper supervision regardless of former experience or education. Phlebotomists need to be thoroughly trained in order to take blood irrespective of place of practice. Some vocational or technical schools offer phlebotomy diploma courses lasting for 2-3 months, while community colleges offer longer term associates degree programs. Phlebotomists should be compulsorily licensed and registered before starting actual work in some states. Respective states department of health and phlebotomy schools can give details regarding these regulations.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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