Intro to Phlebotomy

• Phlebotomy is the process of collecting blood.
• For thousands of years, medical practitioners clung to the belief that sickness was merely the result of a little “bad blood.”
• To restore bodily harmony, their doctor would simply cut open a vein and drain the blood.
• Roman gladiators would bleed from battle and receive a treatment of further bleeding.
• The unfortunate result of the practice became one reason why it did not last very long.
• In the 12th century, barbers performed blood letting, surgery, extracting teeth and herb administration.
• George Washington, the first president of the US, had a severe throat infection in December 1799.
• The cure that was used as an intervention was massive bleeding.
• George Washington bled more than 9 pints (5 liters) of blood in less than 24 hours and died on December 14.
• After George Washington's death, the philosophy of bleeding as a cure to diseases changed.
• In the mid 19th century, blood letting was no longer considered a cure of illness.
• Anton van Leeuwenhoek discovered microorganisms as the causative agent for many diseases, starting to change the way they treat diseases.
• More modern method was to use leeches (Leeching) - therapeutic phlebotomy.
• Venesection (Lacing) is a method of phlebotomy where a needle is inserted into a vein and blood is allowed to flow into a collection bag.
• Cupping is a method of phlebotomy where a cup is placed over a vein and the vein is compressed, causing the blood to collect in the cup.
• The phlebotomist's primary role is to collect blood for accurate and reliable test results as quickly as possible with the least discomfort to the patient.
• Centralized phlebotomy is a healthcare setting where the phlebotomist is part of the laboratory team and is dispatched to hospital units to collect blood samples.
• The phases of sample processing include pre-examination, examination, and post-examination.
• Post-examination involves reporting of results, ensuring accuracy and reliability of delivery of result, and follow-up if repeat testing is needed or attending to other needs of the physician.
• STAT requests are for emergency cases.
• Pre-examination involves request forms, patient identification and information, correct sample collection, correct use of all equipment, sample preparation and centrifugation, and maintaining sample integrity until processing.
• A Phlebotomy Technician collects blood samples.
• Storage of sample after processing is a part of the post-examination phase.
• The Out Patient Department is for patients who are not admitted in the hospital.
• Examination involves sample testing and maintaining testing equipment and reagents.
• Histopathology examines tissues and cell smears for evidence of cancer, infection or other abnormalities.
• A Medical Laboratory Technician, under the supervision of a Med Lab Sci, performs general tests.
• A Histotechnologist prepares body tissue samples for microscopic evaluation of a pathologist.
• A Medical Laboratory Scientist performs a wide range of lab tests and confirms and reports lab results.
• A Pathologist reads and interprets results and examines tissues under the microscope.
• Decentralized phlebotomy is a healthcare setting where the duties of the hospital staff revolve more than around the patient.
• Areas of nursing care include coronary heart unit, emergency department, geriatric, ICU, neonatal, nephropathy, obstetrics, oncology, orthopedic, pediatrics, and recovery.
• Hybrid phlebotomy is a blend of centralized and decentralized ancillary hospital areas including administration, electrocardiography, electroencephalography, environmental services, food services, GI lab, laboratory, medical records, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, radiology, respiratory therapy, and speech therapy.
• Laboratory sections include administrative office, phlebotomy, urinalysis, hematology, coagulation, clinical chemistry, microbiology, immunology, blood banking, cytogenetics, and molecular diagnosis.
• Barbers are considered as surgeons because they are good at handling sharp objects.
• Venesection is used in child birth to release the pain of the mother
• In cupping, once the cup has sucked the skin, the skin will be sliced. This will cause scarring.
• In Mid 19th century, blood was used for diagnosis
• Polycythemia vera causes your bone marrow to make too many red blood cells. These excess cells thicken your blood, slowing its flow, which may cause serious problems, such as blood clots. Needs to remove certain amount of blood.
• Wrong extraction leads to wrong result