Have you recently decided to pursue a career in phlebotomy? You should feel confident knowing that you have chosen to enter a robust and recession-proof career field in the health care industry that gives you the opportunity to regularly help patients. As a phlebotomist, you will be diagnosing the health status of patients by drawing and analyzing blood samples. If you are serious about entering into this profession, it is important that you understand some of the typical procedures you will be performing on a regular basis on-the-job as a phlebotomist.

The most common procedure you will be able to complete routinely after your education and training is a venipuncture procedure. During the venipuncture procedure, you will insert a safety or butterfly needle into a patient’s vein and then you will attach the needle to tubes so that blood can be collected. It is important that you collect the proper amount of blood, apply proper pressure to the wound bandage it appropriately. Another very common procedure a phlebotomist will routine execute is a finger stick during which the index finger, heel or foot of a patient will be pricked so that blood can be collected and later analyzed. The phlebotomist will cover the wound with a cotton ball. As an aspiring phlebotomist, you can also expect to use arterial stick to measure blood gases or perform other tests. A phlebotomy technician must be extremely focused and organized when labeling blood samples so that they are assigned and can be identified with the correct patient. It could become very dangerous if any mistakes are made in the labeling process. Another very important task that a phlebotomist must regularly execute is properly completing all necessary paperwork pertaining to patients and samples. This is a very important administrative responsibility.

As you can see, phlebotomists are responsible for executing several very important procedures. Venipunctures and the finger stick are two routine procedures in phlebotomy used to collect and later analyze blood samples. In addition, properly labeling samples and completing all necessary paperwork accurately pertaining to patients and samples are important tasks that all phlebotomists must execute. The specific tasks that phlebotomists have to complete also vary depending on the work setting and employer.

If you are interested in pursuing a career as a phlebotomist, feel confident knowing that you are selecting a vitally important career in the medical field that boasts strong job prospects. Phlebotomists are responsible for collecting blood samples from patients or donors in a clinical setting. Phlebotomists are trained to analyze the collected blood sample using advanced technology. It is important that you have good dexterity and can work well under pressure if you want to become a phlebotomist. As the aging members of the baby boom generation continue to require significant medical care and attention, the demand for phlebotomists will continue to remain strong. You might be interested in learning more about the history of the practice of phlebotomy since you have chosen this career path.

In a historical context, phlebotomy was the practice of “blood-letting”. Ancient physicians believed that blood was the cause of illness. The Egyptians, Romans and Greeks experimented with extracting blood in order to eliminate “evil spirits” from the body. Barber shops during that time period were very different from the barber shops you see and think of today. In today’s world the first thing that comes to mind when considering barber shops is haircuts. However, during that period barber shops were good for haircuts, tooth extractions, surgery or blood-letting procedure. It was truly believed that such acts as blood-letting, starving, vomiting and purging could heal most ills. Obviously, the practice of phlebotomy is very different today and characterized by tight regulations. Phlebotomists today must work under the supervision of a medical doctor and must complete extensive classroom education and clinical training in order to enter the profession. Clearly, there is a major difference between the practice of phlebotomy in a historical context and the practice today.

Working in the field of phlebotomy can be very fulfilling as you are routinely providing medical care and attention to others. This is also a very respectable profession in the medical industry. The practice of phlebotomy is tightly regulated today. Phlebotomists must work under the supervision of a medical doctor and follow rigorous protocol. However, in a historical context, the practice was very different. Ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks all experimented with blood extraction in order to remove the body of evil spirits that had invaded it. The fact that blood-letting could be done in barber shops should tell you all you need to know about the lack of regulations on the practice in ancient times.