No Training Required for Phlebotomist in 47 States

Three states require blood collection personnel (Phlebotomist) to be certified or licensed. California, Nevada and Louisiana Require licenses but only california has minimum training standards.

I Personally ran into a Phlebotomist who was not well trained. She stuck me seven or eight times before she told me it was her first and to come back the next day when some one else would would draw my blood. But there are more important problems than my discomfort. Studies showing 95 percent of diagnostic delays are caused by errors before the blood gets to the lab to be analyzed.

Mistakes in blood work can be catastrophic. If a doctor gets blood results that are late or incorrect it can result in death.In most states if an employer thinks a person is good enough they can start drawing blood with no or minimal training. Most Phlebotomist do a good job, but we need them all to do a good job.