The Importance of Phlebotomy in Medicine

The field of medicine consists of several defined tasks that require extensive training. If a patient has ever given blood, the medical professional that took the blood needed specific training and a certification to do that. The training and certification is in the field of phlebotomy.

Phlebotomy is the medical procedure of taking blood through an incision in a vein. That incision is done with a needle. Those who can make that incision are called phlebotomists. Phlebotomy is practiced by multiple professionals in the medical sector. Some nurses and doctors, for example, can be trained in phlebotomy and take blood from patients. Other nurses or doctors, however, will not have that training and, as a result, are not phlebotomists. In addition, there are medical professionals who exclusively perform a phlebotomy for medical centers, doctor offices or hospitals. These phlebotomists will only help doctors and nurses with a phlebotomy and manage blood labs at these medical centers.

Whether it is a doctor or a person exclusively performing a phlebotomy, training is required. This training can be provided by certifying bodies such as the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians. Much of this training can be a few hours long or equivalent to an academic semester. Those interested in learning more can visit here.

Phlebotomy is extremely important in medicine since it helps doctors analyze blood samples. With a blood sample, doctors can analyze the patient’s biochemistry or see if an infectious agent is in the blood. This can help screen patients for cancers, illnesses or health problems brought on by lifestyle.

Phlebotomy is an extremely important facet of the medical sector. Whether its a doctor, nurse or a full-fledged phlebotomy, taking blood samples correctly helps to make sure patients are healthy.