What Do We Call a Person Whose Job Is to Collect People’s Blood?
What Do We Call a Person Whose Job Is to Collect People’s Blood? Sometimes we need to have blood tests to see what is making us sick or sometimes to make sure we are still healthy. Blood tests are used to diagnose illness, evaluate the effectiveness of medications and determine whether a patient is receiving proper nutrition.
Occasionally the blood is taken by a nurse or a doctor but mostly it’s taken by Phlebotomist whose whole job is to take people’s blood. Phlebotomists are specially trained people who collect blood and body fluids for medical testing or research. Normally blood is taken from a vein in the arm.
Phlebotomists work hard to make sure the blood collection does not hurt too much but also to make sure the blood is collected properly so it can be tested accurately. Many patients are afraid of needles, so the first job of the phlebotomist is to put the patient at ease.
Phlebotomists have to handle difficult, emotional and even angry patients. Fine motor skills are needed to successfully insert a needle into a vein.
To collect blood from an arm vein, the phlebotomist first applies a tourniquet to the upper arm to slow blood flow. An alcohol swab is used to disinfect a small area near the inside of the elbow. The phlebotomist then locates a vein and inserts a needle, a process called “venipuncture.”
Phlebotomists can also sample blood through skin puncture, such as pricking a finger to test a patient’s blood sugar or determine blood type.
Phlebotomists work in clinical laboratories, hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, blood donation centers and other health care facilities. They are usually supervised by a clinical laboratory technologist or other medical professional.