Phlebotomy - An Overview

Phlebotomy - An Overview

Phlebotomy - An Overview

Phlebotomy is the process of drawing blood from the veins and sometimes arteries and capillaries for diagnostic or curative purposes. The term was derived from Greek word root phlebo', meaning vein, tom' meaning to cut or puncture and the suffix y' which means process. Phlebotomy therefore literally means "the process of puncturing veins".

A phlebotomist is a medical professional that is trained to draw blood that will be tested for a health problem the patient may have, or the blood is drawn for a transfusion. Part of the phlebotomist's training is to keep the patient calm as he explains the procedure.

A phlebotomist is usually certified which allows them to draw blood and perform the procedure without pain. Phlebotomists know exactly how to draw the blood sample and prepare it for the laboratory for testing. The sample has to be handled properly in order to keep it from becoming tainted. Phlebotomists are well trained in all of the techniques required. They are specialists in the field of accurately obtaining the information needed by doctors in order for them to make an accurate diagnosis.

As a procedure, Phlebotomy, began over 2,000 years ago as a popular practice among medical practitioners up till the late 19th Century. Commonly referred to as bloodletting, doctors used it to cure diseases, from the ancient Greeks to the Egyptians, from the people in Mesopotamia to the Mayas and the Aztecs. Hippocrates who is today referred to as the father of modern medicine referred prescribed bloodletting as a way to bring patients back to health although one of his students, Galen, is credited with initiating bloodletting as a medicinal practice.

Traditionally, phlebotomy referred to the ancient practice of bloodletting, which involved the withdrawal of larger amounts of blood in an attempt to cure illnesses and disease.

In modern medicine, the ancient procedure of phlebotomy has been virtually abandoned although the term phlebotomy is still used to define the process of the withdrawal and collection of blood from a vein, artery, or the capillary bed into collection tubes either for laboratory analysis or blood transfusion.

Phlebotomy has become an important part of contemporary health care industry used by doctors, nurses and allied health professionals with requisite training, qualification and experience. A Laboratory technician who draws blood from people for testing or blood donation is called a phlebotomist.

Several of today's doctors are burdened with a high number of patients and phlebotomists play a very important role to ease the burden on the doctors since drawing blood is an important activity for diagnosis and analysis for many diseases, hence the reason increasing number of hospitals and healthcare centres now employ full time phlebotomists.

Phlebotomy practice has different methods as well as strict health policies and procedures, and calls for proper training and necessary certification for practitioners. For those who wish to go into phlebotomy career, several schools exist that offer either on campus or online or both programs leading to requisite certifications.

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