Phlebotomist

Phlebotomist Job Responsibilities:

• Serves patients by identifying the best method for retrieving blood samples and other specimens, preparing specimens for laboratory testing, and performing screening procedures.
• Verifies test requisitions by comparing information with nursing station log and bringing discrepancies to the attention of unit personnel.
• Verifies patient identification and explains sampling procedures to patients.
• Obtains blood specimens by performing venipunctures and finger sticks.
• Maintains specimen integrity by using aseptic technique, following department procedures, and observing isolation procedures.
• Collects therapeutic drug-monitoring assays by collaborating with nursing personnel to ensure appropriate drug dose to collection time.
• Tracks collected specimens by initialing, dating, and noting times of collection and maintaining daily tallies of collections performed.
• Monitors glucose levels by performing bedside glucose tests, recording results, and reporting results to unit nurse-manager.
• Performs bleeding-times tests by entering results to the computer and notifying pathologist of results falling outside normal ranges.
• Maintains quality results by following department procedures and testing schedule, recording results in the quality-control log, and identifying and reporting needed changes.
• Maintains safe, secure, and healthy work environment by following standards and procedures and complying with legal regulations.
• Resolves unusual test orders by contacting the physician, pathologist, nursing station, or reference laboratory, referring unresolved orders back to the originator for further clarification, and notifying supervisor of unresolved orders.
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, and participating in professional organizations.
• Serves and protects the hospital or healthcare facility community by adhering to professional standards, institutional policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
• Reassures patients who are nervous about sampling procedures and applies dressings to wounds created by blood draws.
• Updates patient records.
• Maintains an organized and clean workspace.