Phlebotomist

SUMMARY

Perform a wide variety of patient reception, clerical and computer services and specimen collection procedures including venipuncture on infants, children, adolescents, adults and geriatric patients. Perform a variety of other preparatory functions to assist the professional laboratory staff.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Demonstrates understanding of Hospital’s Mission, Vision and Values.
• Demonstrates understanding of job description, performance expectations, and competency assessment plan.
• Demonstrates a commitment toward meeting and exceeding the needs of our customers and consistently adheres to our Customer Service Standards.
• Complies with department and hospital policies and procedures.

SPECIMEN COLLECTION FUNCTIONS

• Verifies patient identification.
• Applies tourniquet for venipuncture. Age specific - assesses mode and site of blood collection, venipuncture or capillary based on ages and condition of patients. Performs collection.
• Selects appropriate vein or capillary site and prepares site using approved cleansing technique.
• Administers post-venipuncture care and discharges patient. Labels tubes with complete information.
• Instructs patient appropriately regarding clean-catch urine specimens.
• Implements “Specimen Received” procedure in LIS and routes specimen to laboratory for testing.
• Communicates unusual patient condition or specimen suitability or other related concerns with the technical staff of laboratory.
• Collects specimens from off-site locations as requested.
• Affords assistance in training nursing aides, laboratory personnel and students in blood collection techniques.

SPECIMEN PROCESSING FUNCTIONS

• Receives and accesses specimens for processing noting the demographic information on the requisition slip and specimen label.
• Prepares specimens for transport to outside laboratories.
• Logs blood units into information system.
• Unloads blood cultures.
• Performs preparatory work for Technicians and Technologists.
• Performs staining procedures.
• Performs quality control and maintenance procedures; notifies supervisor of any issues with equipment or unacceptable quality control results.

OTHER FUNCTIONS

• Receives physicians’ orders, verbally or in writing, for laboratory tests and appointments.
• Enters orders and diagnostic codes in computer system.
• Greets patients and provides specific instructions for specimen collection as required.
• Processes ABNs.
• Checks and prints Collection Batch orders.
• Prints and distributes required hard copy reports to physicians and nursing areas.
• Phones or faxes patient results to physicians as requested.
• Reports unsafe or other occurrences, questionable conditions or situations immediately to the manager.
• Adheres to Blood and Body Fluid Borne Pathogen Procedures involving the use of gloves, masks if indicated, disposal of blood collection devices, slides and specimens.
• Keeps all work areas clean and performs regularly scheduled cleaning duties.
• Stocks and maintains a clean phlebotomy collection tray.
• Takes temperatures and records receipt of supplies.
• Assists in tracking and resolving laboratory related concerns.
• Performs other related functions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• BASIC KNOWLEDGE: High school diploma or GED required.
• Phlebotomy certificate through National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences and/or completion of a Phlebotomy certificate program to include formal internship demonstrating 100 successful venipunctures.
• In lieu of internship, 6 months of phlebotomy experience may be considered.
• In lieu of phlebotomy certification, 5 plus years direct phlebotomy experience may be considered.
• Ability to perform venipuncture techniques and capillary puncture on adults, children and infants.
• Interpersonal skills to obtain and provide information to patients and to explain procedures effectively in order to allay fears and anxiety.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills necessary to provide care patients with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.
• Clerical skills to prepare and maintain records and reports, including keyboard skills to enter/access information.
• Familiarity with blood collector equipment, anticoagulants, special precautions and interference.
• Ability to distinguish chromatic colors.
• A Phlebotomy certificate required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Works with in-patient care environment with considerable walking between units and where some physical effort may be required to deal with patients who are uncooperative.
• Some exposure to odors when handling specimens.
• Exposure to communicable diseases while administering to patients, however chance of injury is minimized by the adherence to established infection control procedures.
• Manual dexterity to perform venipunctures.

WORK SHIFT

9AM - 5:15PM weekdays, shift times may vary with weekend and Holiday rotation.

WORK TYPE

Day

HOURS

8 hours

DRIVING REQUIRED

No