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Career Details

31-9097.00 - Phlebotomists


Draw blood for tests, transfusions, donations, or research. May explain the procedure to patients and assist in the recovery of patients with adverse reactions.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
112,700
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
140,800
Estimate
Change in Employment
+28,100
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+24.9%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Collect fluid or tissue samples, using appropriate collection procedures.
  • Dispose of blood or other biohazard fluids or tissue, in accordance with applicable laws, standards, or policies.
  • Dispose of contaminated sharps, in accordance with applicable laws, standards, and policies.
  • Document route of specimens from collection to laboratory analysis and diagnosis.
  • Draw blood from capillaries by dermal puncture, such as heel or finger stick methods.
  • Draw blood from veins by vacuum tube, syringe, or butterfly venipuncture methods.
  • Explain fluid or tissue collection procedures to patients.
  • Match laboratory requisition forms to specimen tubes.
  • Organize or clean blood-drawing trays, ensuring that all instruments are sterile and all needles, syringes, or related items are of first-time use.
  • Collect specimens at specific time intervals for tests, such as those assessing therapeutic drug levels.
  • Conduct hemoglobin tests to ensure donor iron levels are normal.
  • Conduct standards tests, such as blood alcohol, blood culture, oral glucose tolerance, glucose screening, blood smears, or peak and trough drug levels tests.
  • Enter patient, specimen, insurance, or billing information into computer.
  • Process blood or other fluid samples for further analysis by other medical professionals.
  • Provide sample analysis results to physicians to assist diagnosis.
  • Train other medical personnel in phlebotomy or laboratory techniques.
  • Transport specimens or fluid samples from collection sites to laboratories.
Supplemental
  • Draw blood from arteries, using arterial collection techniques.
  • Administer subcutaneous or intramuscular injects, in accordance with licensing restrictions.
  • Calibrate or maintain machines, such as those used for plasma collection.
  • Determine donor suitability, according to interview results, vital signs, and medical history.
  • Monitor blood or plasma donors during and after procedures to ensure health, safety, and comfort.
  • Perform saline flushes or dispense anticoagulant drugs, such as Heparin, through intravenous (IV) lines, in accordance with licensing restrictions and under the direction of a medical doctor.
  • Serve refreshments to donors to ensure absorption of sugar into their systems.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 91%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 English Language
  • 75%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Clerical
  • 69%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Education and Training
  • 68%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Psychology
  • 64%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 63%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Medicine and Dentistry
  • 62%
    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 59%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Administration and Management
  • 59%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Biology
  • 58%
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
 Production and Processing
  • 56%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Personnel and Human Resources
  • 56%
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
 Chemistry
  • 55%
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 Law and Government
  • 55%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Sociology and Anthropology
  • 50%
    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Specimen collection and transport containers and supplies
  • Aliquot tubes
  • Blood culture bottles
  • Blood lancets
  • Occult blood kits
  • Phlebotomy transport bags
  • Phlebotomy trays
  • Specimen tube holders
  • Sputum cups
  • Sterile screw-cap glass tubes
  • Sterile screw-cap plastic tubes
  • Unopette equipment
  • Venipuncture tourniquets
 Absorbents
  • Biohazard spill kits
 Syringes and accessories
  • Blood collection syringes
  • Blood drawing syringes
 Laboratory incubating equipment
  • Blood culture incubators
 Laboratory cooling equipment
  • Blood specimen refrigerators
 Test Tubes
  • Capillary tubes
  • Microcapillary hematocrit tubes
 Pipettes and liquid handling equipment and supplies
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) pipettes
  • Transfer pipettes
 Laboratory centrifuges and accessories
  • Laboratory centrifuges
  • Microhematocrit tubes
 Computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Duplicating machines
  • Laser facsimile machines
 Medical staff clothing and related articles
  • Medical face masks
  • Protective aprons
 Computer printers
  • Mobile barcode printers
 Injection and aspiration needles and accessories
  • Multi-sample blood collection needles
  • Safety needles
  • Sharps disposal containers
  • Venipuncture butterfly needles
  • Venipuncture needle holders
  • Venipuncture needles
 Aids for medical training
  • Phlebotomy practice arms
  • Phlebotomy practice blocks
  • Phlebotomy practice heels
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • Donor management system software
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Iatric Systems MobiLab
  • Laboratory information system LIS
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • MEDITECH Blood Bank
  • MEDITECH Laboratory and Microbiology
  • MEDITECH softwareHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Scheduling software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Northern Virginia Community College