Phlebotomy Technician

This foundational course equips adult learners with the safety knowledge, occupational math, health-care communication skills, and professional behaviors required to enter phlebotomy training and, ultimately, the clinical workplace. Topics span OSHA bloodborne-pathogen and hazard-communication standards, first aid and CPR, specimen-math and unit conversions, medical terminology, electronic health record navigation, and job-readiness skills tied directly to the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) credential domains tested by NHA, AMT, and ASCP. Successful completion prepares students to advance into hands-on venipuncture coursework with the safety mindset and communication foundation that patient care demands.

How the course runs. 7 blocks: OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen and Hazard Communication Standards in Phlebotomy; Workplace Safety: OSHA 10 Principles, Infection Control, and Healthcare Facility Hazards; First Aid and CPR/AED Certification; Trade Math and Measurement for Phlebotomy: Units, Conversions, and Ratios; Medical Terminology, Anatomical Language, and Laboratory Order Interpretation; Digital Tools: Electronic Health Records, Laboratory Information Systems, and Professional Communication; Career Readiness: Professionalism, Ethics, Resume, and Job-Search Skills for Phlebotomy Technicians.

What competent looks like. Demonstrate compliance with OSHA bloodborne-pathogen exposure-control requirements and hazard-communication standards in simulated phlebotomy scenarios. Perform adult CPR and first aid to current American Heart Association or American Red Cross guidelines and obtain a recognized provider card. Accurately perform unit conversions, ratio calculations, and dilution math commonly encountered in specimen collection and laboratory requisition work. Decode and correctly use medical terminology, anatomical directional terms, and abbreviations found on laboratory orders and requisition forms. Navigate a simulated electronic health record (EHR) system to locate patient demographics, test orders, and collection instructions without error. Construct a professional resume, complete a mock job application, and participate in a scored mock interview appropriate to entry-level phlebotomy positions.

This course develops the foundational and applied skills required to perform safe, accurate venipuncture on adult patients in clinical and laboratory settings. Students progress from anatomy and equipment knowledge through supervised practice on training arms and peers, building the procedural competence and professional judgment required by employers and tested on NHA, AMT, and ASCP Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) credentialing exams. Patient safety, infection control, and proper specimen integrity are emphasized throughout every lesson.

How the course runs. 12 blocks: Vascular Anatomy and Physiology for Phlebotomy; Equipment, Tubes, and Order of Draw; Infection Control and OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standards in Phlebotomy; Patient Identification, Requisition Interpretation, and Pre-Procedure Communication; Site Selection, Tourniquet Application, and Vein Palpation; Aseptic Skin Preparation and Needle Handling; Evacuated Tube Venipuncture: Full Procedure on Training Arm; Complications: Recognition, Prevention, and Response; Specimen Labeling, Documentation, and Chain of Custody; Difficult Draws and Special Populations: Technique Adaptations; Integrated Skills Practice: Simulated Patient Encounters; Credential Exam Alignment and Unit Review.

What competent looks like. Identify the major veins of the antecubital fossa and alternative venipuncture sites and explain their clinical significance for site selection. Select appropriate gauge needles, evacuated tube types, and additives for a given test order, stating the correct order of draw. Perform a complete venipuncture procedure—from patient identification through labeling and transport—using aseptic technique and following OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standards. Recognize, prevent, and respond to venipuncture complications including hematoma, hemolysis, syncope, nerve injury, and needlestick, within scope of practice. Correctly label, document, and process specimens to preserve integrity for downstream laboratory testing. Demonstrate professional, patient-centered communication including informed consent, patient reassurance, and accurate requisition interpretation.

Students develop competency in capillary blood collection by fingerstick and heelstick, and extend those skills to special collection procedures including bleeding times, blood cultures, arterial sampling observation, glucose tolerance testing, and neonatal screening. Emphasis is placed on site selection, device selection, order of draw, specimen quality, and patient and collector safety throughout every procedure. Lesson content maps directly to the specimen collection domain tested on the NHA CPT, AMT RPT, and ASCP PBT certification examinations.

How the course runs. 12 blocks: Capillary Blood Physiology and Indications for Skin Puncture; Site Selection and Lancet Devices for Fingerstick Collection; Fingerstick Procedure: Skill Performance on Training Models; Capillary Order of Draw and Device Types; Heelstick Collection: Neonatal and Infant Skin Puncture; Neonatal Metabolic Screening (Newborn Screening Programs); Point-of-Care Testing: Glucose, Hemoglobin, and Coagulation Monitoring; Glucose Tolerance Testing: Patient Preparation and Timed Collection; Blood Culture Collection: Technique and Contamination Prevention; Arterial Blood Gas Collection: Scope, Safety, and Collector Role; Specimen Integrity, Rejection Criteria, and Labeling for Capillary and Special Collections; Integrated Capillary and Special Collections Skills Assessment.

What competent looks like. Perform a fingerstick and heelstick capillary collection selecting the correct site, lancet depth, and collection device while maintaining aseptic technique and patient safety. Fill capillary collection devices in the correct order of draw and label specimens accurately according to standard labeling requirements. Explain the rationale, patient preparation, timing sequence, and collector responsibilities for glucose tolerance testing, blood cultures, and neonatal metabolic screening. Demonstrate proper handling and rejection criteria for capillary and special specimens, identifying pre-analytical errors that compromise results. Apply age-appropriate communication and restraint-assistance techniques when collecting from neonates, pediatric patients, and adults with challenging venous access. Accurately document each collection procedure, record patient responses, and initiate the chain of custody or corrective action when specimen integrity is in question.

This course teaches students how to correctly handle, process, transport, and store blood and body fluid specimens from the moment of collection through delivery to the testing laboratory. Students apply chain-of-custody principles, quality assurance practices, and regulatory requirements to prevent pre-analytical errors that compromise patient results. Lesson content maps directly to the specimen handling and processing competency domains tested on NHA CPT, AMT RPT, and ASCP PBT certification examinations.

How the course runs. 12 blocks: The Pre-Analytical Phase: Sources of Error and Quality Foundations; Evacuated Tube Systems: Additives, Inversions, and Order of Draw; Specimen Labeling, Accessioning, and Chain of Custody; Electronic Health Records and LIS Basics for Phlebotomists; Centrifugation Principles and Safe Operation; Serum and Plasma Separation and Aliquoting; Specimen Integrity: Recognizing and Responding to Rejection Criteria; Temperature, Time, and Light Sensitivity: Specimen Preservation Requirements; Specimen Transport: Internal Routing and Pneumatic Tube Systems; Send-Out Testing, Referral Laboratories, and Special Packaging; Point-of-Care Testing: Instrument Operation and Quality Control; Comprehensive Specimen Processing Simulation and Competency Assessment.

What competent looks like. Correctly label, log, and track specimens using manual and electronic systems to maintain an unbroken chain of custody from collection to analysis. Select and verify appropriate evacuated tube types, additives, and required volumes for ordered laboratory tests using current facility reference materials. Perform centrifugation, aliquoting, and specimen preparation steps according to standard operating procedures without compromising specimen integrity. Identify and document pre-analytical errors—including hemolysis, lipemia, incorrect tube, clotted sample, and insufficient volume—and explain the corrective action for each. Package and transport specimens in compliance with facility policies and applicable biohazard transport regulations to protect personnel and specimen integrity. Apply temperature, time, and light-sensitivity requirements to properly store and preserve specimens pending analysis or send-out testing.

Students synthesize all prior coursework by designing, executing, and documenting a complete simulated phlebotomy workflow — from patient identification through specimen processing — and present their work in a formal defense. The capstone integrates venipuncture technique, capillary and special collections, specimen handling, safety compliance, professional communication, and trade math into a single assessed portfolio. Successful completion demonstrates readiness for the clinical practicum and documents competency for prospective employers and credentialing bodies.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: Portfolio Architecture and Case-Study Error Analysis; Integrated Simulated Collection Lab and Trade-Math Documentation; Portfolio Completion, Reflective Self-Assessment, and Peer Review; Formal Portfolio Defense and Program Readiness Evaluation.

What competent looks like. Demonstrate a complete, error-free simulated phlebotomy encounter — including patient ID verification, order interpretation, collection by venipuncture and capillary method, and specimen processing — with no critical safety violations. Produce a written portfolio that includes a labeled specimen log, chain-of-custody documentation, rejection criteria analysis, and a reflective self-assessment aligned to NHA, AMT, and ASCP competency domains. Apply trade math accurately to calculate correct tube volume requirements, timed collection intervals, and dilution ratios for at least three different order types with 100% arithmetic accuracy. Identify and correct at least five pre-analytical error scenarios embedded in a case-study set, citing the relevant safety standard or quality-control rationale for each correction. Deliver a 10-to-15-minute oral defense of the portfolio to a faculty panel, answering questions on technique, patient safety, and scope of practice with clear, evidence-based responses. Evaluate a peer's simulated collection using a standardized competency checklist, providing written feedback that is specific, constructive, and referenced to established best practice.

Students complete 120 supervised hours at an approved clinical site—such as a hospital laboratory, outpatient draw station, or reference laboratory—performing real patient collections under the direct oversight of a credentialed phlebotomist or laboratory professional. Competencies addressed span the full scope of entry-level phlebotomy practice, including venipuncture, capillary collection, special procedures, specimen processing, patient identification, infection control, and professional conduct. Performance is documented through a structured employer evaluation that maps directly to the competency domains tested on the NHA CPT, AMT RPT, and ASCP PBT certification examinations.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: Site Orientation, Compliance, and Professional Integration; Supervised Venipuncture and Capillary Collections on Live Patients; Specimen Processing, Special Procedures, and Laboratory Support; Final Competency Evaluation and Professional Exit.

What competent looks like. Perform venipuncture on a diverse patient population using correct technique, site selection, and order-of-draw with a success rate meeting site supervisor expectations across a minimum documented case log. Execute capillary puncture and applicable special collection procedures (timed draws, blood cultures, pediatric collections as assigned) in compliance with site protocols and standard precautions. Apply all required patient identification, labeling, and chain-of-custody steps on every specimen collected, with zero tolerance for mislabeled or unlabeled samples. Demonstrate professional behavior—punctuality, communication, scope-of-practice adherence, and response to difficult draws or patient distress—as rated satisfactory or above on the employer competency evaluation. Process, handle, centrifuge, aliquot, and route specimens according to site standard operating procedures and stability requirements. Complete the required case log, reflective journal entries, and a final site supervisor evaluation form documenting readiness for entry-level employment.

This course systematically reviews every domain tested on the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) examinations offered by NHA, AMT, and ASCP, closing knowledge gaps identified through diagnostic testing. Students complete timed, full-length mock exams under realistic conditions and apply targeted remediation strategies so they enter the credentialing exam with confidence and competence.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: Credential Landscape and Diagnostic Assessment; Domain Deep-Dive Review: Anatomy, Procedures, and Special Collections; Domain Deep-Dive Review: Specimen Handling, Safety, Quality, and Compliance; Full Mock Exams, Scoring, and Exam-Day Readiness.

What competent looks like. Identify the content domains and item formats used by NHA, AMT, and ASCP CPT exams and map each domain to prior coursework. Answer practice questions in all exam content areas—anatomy and physiology, collection procedures, specimen handling, safety, and compliance—at or above the passing threshold for each credentialing body. Apply test-taking strategies such as question dissection, educated elimination, and time management to improve accuracy on multiple-choice items. Complete two full-length timed mock exams and score at or above a pre-established benchmark indicating readiness to sit the credentialing exam. Construct a personalized remediation plan that targets weak domains identified through diagnostic and mock-exam data. Demonstrate the ability to locate and use official candidate handbooks and online scheduling portals to register for a chosen CPT credentialing exam.