Phlebotomist

About the Role

Responsible for performing phlebotomy in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings, including medical/surgical and behavioral medicine areas. This includes all aspects of specimen collection, documentation, and submission to the laboratory for analysis. Additional responsibilities may involve specimen reception, client offices, or satellite labs.

Responsibilities

• Collect blood samples using appropriate phlebotomy techniques and follow all policies related to handling blood specimens.
• Recognize factors affecting specimen collection procedures and test results, such as patient indicators, order of draw, and timed specimens.
• Demonstrate proficiency in various collection techniques, including vacutainer, syringe, butterfly, and capillary methods.
• Rotate to outpatient labs as needed and carry a hospital pager to respond to department needs, including staffing and stat requests.
• Rotate to inpatient/outpatient specimen processing areas, including answering phones, processing specimens, centrifuging, logging specimens, managing stat paging, and dispatching couriers for outreach operations.
• Perform miscellaneous computer duties, including entry of lab test requests.
• Complete daily job assignments and follow Job Instruction Sheets.
• Maintain equipment and work area in a clean and organized manner.
• Work independently with minimal supervision.

Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Completion of a Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant, or Phlebotomy program, or equivalent required. Two-year college degree in biological science or a health-related field preferred.
• Current certification from one of the following: AMT (American Medical Technologist), ASCP (American Society of Clinical Pathologists), NCPT (National Society of Certified Phlebotomy Technicians), or NCCT (National Center for Competency Testing). Certification must be obtained within 12 months of start if not already certified.
• Current Heart Saver (HS) certification.
• A minimum of 3 months of inpatient phlebotomy experience or working experience in a medical/health industry, or documented successful completion of a phlebotomy externship.

Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of medical terminology, laboratory orders, container types, and anatomy/physiology related to phlebotomy.
• Familiarity with PC applications preferred.
• Excellent customer service orientation to interact effectively with hospital personnel, outside customers, and community groups.
• Ability to stand, walk, and move for up to 100% of work hours with minimal sitting.
• High level of mental concentration to meet deadlines in an environment with frequent interruptions.

Working Conditions

• Typically sits for 10%, stands for 40%, and walks for 50% of the workday.
• Occasional bending/stooping (50% of work time).
• Requires use of hands for simple and firm grasping, as well as fine manipulation.
• Potential exposure to infectious diseases, hazardous waste, and chemicals.