A Typical Day in the Life of a Phlebotomist

As a phlebotomist you will meet a wide variety of people in your day-to-day life. Every day, you have to realize your job's importance and give it your full attention.

In the healthcare field, many jobs offer fresh daily challenges. You will run into new experiences, work with different people, and have to handle different situations. However, there are also some daily consistencies when working as a phlebotomist. So, what is a typical day?

Starting the Day Early

Phlebotomists normally start their day early, around 5 or 6 am. You are responsible for ensuring that blood results are both consistent and accurate.

As a phlebotomist you will receive orders from different departments, depending on the day's needs, expect to be on your feet most of your day, moving around wherever you're needed from the start to the end.

Attention to Detail

It is incredibly important to be detail-oriented as a phlebotomist as they are responsible for identifying the correct patient, medical records, and date of birth before drawing blood.

Drawing Blood from Patients

Several steps must be taken by a phlebotomist to successfully perform a blood draw or venipuncture, including:

• Preparing the needed supplies ahead of time

• Ensuring their room/station is completely clean/sanitary

• Applying a tourniquet to the patient to help find a vein

• Cleaning the patient's skin before inserting the needle

• Collecting blood successfully for testing

The last thing that would be helpful is a strong sense of organization. Taking care of each patient requires great attention. Remember that attention to detail is even more important if you're working in a fast-paced environment because it can easily get distracted.