Overview

EKG & Phlebotomy Technician Combination Program at the Medical Training Institute of New York provides students with an introduction to the theory, techniques, and roles of a phlebotomist and electrocardiogram (EKG) technician. Students learn phlebotomy skills, including skin puncture, venipuncture, blood collection, and quality assurance. Additional topics include infection control, medical terminology, quality assurance, principles of venipuncture, specimen handling, basic hematology, and anatomy of the venous system. Students learn about the cardiovascular system as it relates to an EKG's performance. Students gain knowledge in basic EKG tracing, rate, rhythm, common heart abnormalities, and the use and function of the EKG machine.

Phlebotomist

The Phlebotomy Technician program will teach students the concepts of Introduction to Phlebotomy & Infection Control, Legal Issues in Healthcare, Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology, Phlebotomy Equipment & Supplies, Phlebotomy Procedures, and Phlebotomy Fundamental Essentials. This program is designed for leaner’s who want to advance their career or are interested in starting a career in the medical field to become a phlebotomy technician. This is a comprehensive 80-hour program.

This course prepares students to collect blood for laboratory analysis. Students learn medical terminology, basic anatomy and physiology, infection control safety, communication, and professionalism. Phlebotomy provides opportunities for students to perform routine vein punctures, routine capillary punctures, and special collection procedures. Phlebotomy technicians also perform glucose testing and specimen collection. A phlebotomist is a health care professional specially trained to draw blood. The blood is used to test for conditions based on a physician’s orders, although it can also be used for a transfusion, research, or a donation. Some typical duties of phlebotomists include:

• Greeting blood draw patients and explaining the process to them
• Ensuring patients’ intake paperwork is correct and complete and that their identity is clear
• Calming patients if they are nervous
• For pediatric patients, preparing distractions, special toys, and smaller needles.
• Sterilizing and organizing all equipment according to procedures and protocols
• Conducting the blood draw
• Following all special instructions on patients’ order forms
• Labeling and adequately storing the sample
• Properly disposing of used needles and bandages
• Making sure the patient has no adverse reactions
• Inventorying equipment
• Sterilizing and cleaning the area for the next patient

What Phlebotomists Do

Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations. Some of them explain their work to patients and assist if patients have adverse reactions after their blood is drawn. Phlebotomists typically do the following:

• Draw blood from patients and blood donors
• Talk with patients and donors to help them feel less nervous about having their blood drawn
• Verify a patient’s or donor’s identity to ensure proper labeling of the blood
• Label the drawn blood for testing or processing
• Enter patient information into a database
• Assemble and maintain medical instruments such as needles, test tubes, and blood vials
• Keep work areas clean and sanitary

Phlebotomists primarily draw blood, which is then used for different kinds of medical laboratory testing. In medical and diagnostic laboratories, patient interaction is sometimes only with the phlebotomist. Because all blood samples look the same, phlebotomists must carefully identify and label the sample they have drawn and enter it into a database. Some phlebotomists draw blood for other purposes, such as blood drives where people donate blood. To avoid causing infection or other complications, phlebotomists must keep their work area and instruments clean and sanitary.