Phlebotomy licensure
 | The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (March 2024) |
Phlebotomy licensure is the process by which various regulatory bodies regulate the practice of phlebotomy within its jurisdiction through licensure. In many countries a license is not required, or is obtained through other broader qualifications (such as a medical license), while in others, professional phlebotomists are separately licensed.
In most countries, there is not a dedicated a profession to phlebotomy, but it falls under the responsibility of other allied health professions such as nursing.[1][2][3]
Asia
[edit]China
[edit]In China, there are no national phlebotomy regulations, and phlebotomy is primarily performed by nurses, though Chinese nursing education offers limited training in phlebotomy quality control. [4]
Europe
[edit]United Kingdom
[edit]Phlebotomists need not by licensed in the UK, but training can be provided on-the-job, sometimes with the support of the National Association of Phlebotomists.[5] The skills required may also be monitored through broader monitoring requirements, such as the licence to practice of the General Medical Council.
North America
[edit]United States
[edit]In the United States there are no federal phlebotomy training or certification requirements, though several states have imposed their own requirements. In 2024, four states require licensure for phlebotomy: California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington.
In 2001, California enacted phlebotomy licensure after an on-the-job trained phlebotomist was found to be re-using needles. Following California, several states including Massachusetts and Missouri attempted to introduce either licensure or training/educational requirements, but the bills died.[6][7][8]
Phlebotomy licensure advocates claim that the licensure would enhance the quality of personnel, while the laboratory industry opposes phlebotomy licensure as an unnecessary cost.[9][10][11]
Phlebotomy is not without risk, and more challenging patients increase the chance of complications.[12] However, without licensure, it can be difficult to hold bad actors accountable.
Increasingly, a number of healthcare facilities are rolling phlebotomy duties into their patient care technician roles or other allied health roles.[13][14]
A number of FDA 510k cleared devices, such as the BD Minidraw have been introduced to enable the drawing of blood without a phlebotomist.[15] Additionally, there are devices to help aid non-phlebotomists more readily find veins.[16]
Certifications
[edit]There are several national phlebotomy certifications in the US.[17][18][19]
| Abbr | Phlebotomy Certifying Agency | Certification | Designation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAH | American Allied Health | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT (AAH) | |
| ACA | American Certification Agency for Healthcare Professionals | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT(ACA) | |
| AMCA | American Medical Certification Association | PTC (AMCA) | ||
| AMT | American Medical Technologists | Register Phlebotomy Technician | RPT(AMT) | |
| ASCP | American Society for Clinical Pathology | Phlebotomy Technician | PBT(ASCP) | |
| ASPT | American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT(ASPT) | |
| IAPA | ||||
| NCA | National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel | CLPlb(NCA) | ||
| NCCT/MMCI | National Center for Competency Testing | National Certified Phlebotomy Technician | NCPT(NCCT) | |
| NHA | National Healthcareer Association | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT(NHA) | |
| NAHP | National Association for Health Professionals | National Registered Certified Phlebotomy Technician | NRCPT(NAHP) | |
| NPA | National Phlebotomy Association | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT(NPA) |
Further reading
[edit]- Huber, Brad R.; Sandstrom, Alan R. (1 January 2010). Mesoamerican Healers. University of Texas Press. pp. 35–37. ISBN 978-0-292-77964-8. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
References
[edit]- ^ Mbah, Henry A. (4 April 2014). "Phlebotomy and quality in the African laboratory". African Journal of Laboratory Medicine. 3 (1): 132. doi:10.4102/ajlm.v3i1.132. PMC 5637764. PMID 29043181.
- ^ Simundic, Ana-Maria; Cornes, Michael; Grankvist, Kjell; Lippi, Giuseppe; Nybo, Mads; Kovalevskaya, Svjetlana; Sprongl, Ludek; Sumarac, Zorica; Church, Stephen (1 August 2013). "Survey of national guidelines, education and training on phlebotomy in 28 European countries: an original report by the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) working group for the preanalytical phase (WG-PA)". Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM). 51 (8): 1585–1593. doi:10.1515/cclm-2013-0283. PMID 23729577.
- ^ Simundic, Ana-Maria (14 August 2015). "2.9 Who is Doing Phlebotomy in Europe?". Pre-Examination Procedures in Laboratory Diagnostics. pp. 90–94. doi:10.1515/9783110334043-015. ISBN 978-3-11-033165-3.
- ^ Cai, Qian; Zhou, Yunxian; Yang, Dangan (15 February 2018). "Nurses' knowledge on phlebotomy in tertiary hospitals in China: a cross-sectional multicentric survey". Biochemia Medica. 28 (1): 010703. doi:10.11613/BM.2018.010703. PMC 5701774. PMID 29187796.
- ^ "National Association of Phlebotomists". Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ Ernst, Dennis (October 2009). "Phlebotomy certification legislation: update on three of our 50 states". Medical Laboratory Observer. 41 (10): 42. PMID 19891151. Gale A210847808. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ Ernst, DJ (July 2008). "States fail to follow California's lead in certifying phlebotomists". Medical Laboratory Observer. 40 (7): 40, 42. PMID 18717500. Gale A182040780.
- ^ Kwan, H (October 2008). "Rooster guarding hen house?". Medical Laboratory Observer. 40 (10): 6, 8. PMID 18990788.
- ^ Mishori, Ranit (May 31, 2004). "Drawing Without a License". Washington Post. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Should non-phlebotomists be allowed to draw blood?". Clinical Leadership & Management Review. 15 (6): 426–8. November 2001. PMID 11822275.
- ^ Becan-McBride, Kathleen (1 October 2009). "Phlebotomy Errors Point to Need for Mandatory Licensure of Pre-analytical Laboratory Staff". Critical Values. 2 (4): 18–19. doi:10.1093/criticalvalues/2.4.18.
- ^ Harty-Golder, Barbara (January 2003). "When should a phlebotomist ask for help with a difficult draw?". MLO: Medical Laboratory Observer. 35 (1): 48. PMID 12561745. Gale A96892952.
- ^ Ernst, DJ (October 1997). "Is the phlebotomist obsolete?". MLO: Medical Laboratory Observer. 29 (10): 30–4. PMID 10173584. Gale A20076530.
- ^ "Should non-phlebotomists be allowed to draw blood?". Clinical Leadership & Management Review. 15 (6): 426–8. November 2001. PMID 11822275.
- ^ Dharma, RanjithKumar (8 December 2023). "BD receives clearance for new blood collection device". Medical Device Network. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Vein attempts? Making needles easier to bear". Orange County Register. Orange County. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ McCall, Ruth E.; Tankersley, Cathee M. (2008). Phlebotomy Exam Review. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 978-0-7817-7855-8.
- ^ Strasinger, Susan King; Lorenzo, Marjorie Schaub Di (25 February 2019). The Phlebotomy Textbook. F.A. Davis. pp. 11–12. ISBN 978-0-8036-9012-7.
- ^ Niedzwiecki, Brigitte (21 October 2021). Kinn's Medical Assisting Fundamentals - E-Book: Kinn's Medical Assisting Fundamentals - E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 1124. ISBN 978-0-323-82454-5.