Phlebotomists are allied health professionals who have been trained to collect a patient’s/client’s blood, or other body specimens (such as urine, and stool for occult blood tests). They often are seen as part of the clinical laboratory team, because they collect the ordered clinical laboratory specimens prior to the actual laboratory testing!

Phlebotomists usually work in hospitals or clinical laboratories under the supervision of medical technologists, or laboratory managers. The practice of phlebotomy generally refers to the collection of blood from a vein, but often other microcollection techniques, such as those involving the use of a sterile lancet for piercing skin to draw blood from capillaries, or insertion of a hollow needle into an artery, or stool occult blood collection kits, etc. are required.

Phlebotomists must be proficient with specimen collection containers and kits, practice proper patient identification techniques, have thorough understanding of the venous anatomy, perform proper blood sampling techniques, and adhere to the rules of infection control and “universal standards” as outlined by the Occupational and Safety Health Agency (OSHA).

Phlebotomy