As a soon to be phlebotomist who is preparing to start your classes, it is important to know what you will be learning. Phlebotomy training varies in length; there are some schools that offer fast-tracked phlebotomy classes that last one semester and others that offer courses that last a year. You can expect to take a didactic course (classroom) and a clinical course where you learn the practical aspects of phlebotomy. Here are some of the things you can expect to learn in your phlebotomy classes.
1. Microbiology
In this class you can expect to learn about different microorganisms, their structures and their functions. This will cover viruses and bacteria and how they interact in the body to cause disease. The practical aspects cover identifying these microorganisms on a slide under a microscope in the lab.
2. Anatomy and physiology
This course covers homeostasis which is all about the equilibrium in a human cell. You will get to understand how different organs in the body work to provide ultimate balance and what happens if they aren’t working properly.
3. Psychology and human interaction
As a phlebotomist, you have to know how to interact with sick and scared people and calm them down for long enough for them to agree to give you their blood. This part of phlebotomy classes is to teach you how to do exactly that with as much ease as possible on your part and on the patients part.
4. Phlebotomy lab practicum
You will learn how to clean the area you want to draw blood from, how to prepare it for the needle and how to draw blood and complete the procedure successfully. It covers arteries, capillaries and veins and you will also learn how to protect yourself during the process.
5. Math for health sciences
How do you, for example, convert ounces to grams, milliliters to drops and other basic math that you may need in the lab.
6. Legal aspects and ethics
Everyone who works in the medical field needs to distinguish between what is ethical and what is not and they also need to know what legal issues they may face from day to day.
These are the basic phlebotomy classes offered by most institutions but you may find that longer courses offer more.