The Clinical Importance of Phlebotomists in the Healthcare Field
Earlier today, I had the pleasure to serve our new students as an Instructor at PARAM INSTITUTE of EDUCATION teaching Phlebotomy (Blood Draw) Skills. It’s Phlebotomy week, and as you are probably aware, I was delighted to be asked to speak about phlebotomists and how critical their role is in healthcare – something I am very passionate about, and I would like to share some of my thoughts with you.
The people who choose to be phlebotomists are incredible. They have chosen a demanding and challenging field that involves much more than people realize. Phlebotomists are specialists, experts, and masters at their craft. Especially phlebotomists like the ones at LABCORP, who must deal with all the same problems and worries that a regular phlebotomist does, but with the added difficulty of working with the pediatric population – which can be incredibly challenging.
Physicians rely on blood samples for up to 70% of their information used to diagnose and treat patients. If blood is improperly collected or mishandled, it can cause test results to be inaccurate, leading to the patient suffering from mistreatment and mismanagement. Almost all errors that affect tests occur during or immediately after collection, so having a phlebotomist who can recognize and prevent these preanalytical errors is invaluable.
In my opinion, a well-trained phlebotomist is worth their weight in gold. They have a hard job that doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. They are unsung heroes, essential to healthcare, and I am so grateful for the important work that they do. The next time you see a phlebotomist, please take a moment to say thanks. I know they will appreciate it.
