Ohio Phlebotomist Regulations

In Ohio, under proper supervision you can draw blood from patients regardless of former experience or education. Only California and Louisiana require "all persons who are not doctors, nurses or clinical lab scientists" to be licensed in those states in order to draw blood. However you will almost certainly need to be certified in order to be considered for most jobs.

Qualifications

• You must be at least 18 years of age and have received a high school diploma or GED. You will be required to have a health assessment, or “physical,” which includes a recent tuberculosis (TB) screen. Finally, you will need a hepatitis vaccination before the start of the clinical portion of your course.

Phlebotomy Course

• According to education-portal.com, in Ohio, Cuyahoga Community College and Sinclair Community College are among those that offer phlebotomy classes and certificate programs. Programs last from three to six months. Schedules vary, but most programs include classroom hours and practicum.

Basics

• In these programs you will learn venipuncture, capillary puncture, and the collection of blood specimens. You must demonstrate knowledge of infection control and safety procedures, basic anatomy, and the physiology of body systems. You may process blood specimens and handle patient paperwork.

Additional Requirements

• As a phlebotomist, you may also be asked to explain procedures to patients, update patient records, prepare stains and reagents, clean and sterilize equipment, and take vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rates. A phlebotomist will be expected to maintain a clean and orderly blood collection work area. You may also be asked to send urine and fecal samples out for lab testing.

Certification

• Several organizations offer a certification exam, including the Association of Phlebotomy Technicians, the National Phlebotomy Association, and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). ASCP requires 40 classroom hours, 120 hours of hands-on training, and 100 successful, unaided blood collections.

Finding a Job

• Many sites post jobs for phlebotomists. EMH Regional Healthcare System in Elyria, Ohio, describes a phlebotomist’s job as 35 percent collecting blood specimens from patients in a variety of settings, 25 percent performing EKGs on patients, 10 percent performing clerical duties such as filing and checking bills, 10 percent performing admissions, registrations and laboratory order entry, 10 percent performing therapeutic phlebotomies and donation collections and the remaining 10 percent on miscellaneous tasks that come up.

Employer Requirements

• A phlebotomist will probably perform phlebotomies on in-patients and out-patients. You may be responsible for prioritizing blood collection work. You may assist in training new employees and students in phlebotomy. Some employers expect a phlebotomist technician to become certified as a urine drug screen collector and breath alcohol tester within a reasonable time period after hire.