Blood Draws In Nursing???

alk3rainbow · Mar 16, 2004

Its a seven week course? My school had a one day course, it was all day long, but it was only one day and it was intro to phlebotomy. It then had another one day course called advanced phlebotomy. Seven weeks seems like a long time.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 16, 2004

My course was 4 week of folowing a preceptor. It's a great idea, because our med-surg floor are going to start their own IVs, instead of yelling for IV therapy to do it. And any hard sticks that i can't get, i'll have to get that pt.'s nurse to try at it. They're cutting IV therapy nursing by 50%, too many were sitting in the breakroom.

Agnus · Mar 16, 2004

My course was 3 semester hours. So 7 week is not long at all. A one day course is not going to teach you what you really need to know. There is too much.

Yes it is a good idea. Yes we draw blood. If you take it this way you will be better educated on it than nurses are.

Noney · Mar 16, 2004

You know what I've never drawn lab other then thru a central line. I've been an RN for 2 1/2 years so I'm a little ashamed to admit this. :) Lab always does this for us. I think I'm going to make it a goal to draw some this week. (With a little help)

I think taking this class will benefit you in the long run anything extra knowledge you have when enter school is a plus.

Noney

Gompers, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2004

If you've got the time to take this class, DO IT!!! Some places do have nursing assistants or patient care techs that draw blood, and it certainly will look great on your resume. Later on as a nurse it will be an invaluable skill! True, in some units the lab techs might come up to do all the bloodwork, but in others a nurse who's a good "stick" is just cherished. It'll help you later on with starting IVs as well. I'm thinking it's a 7 week course because you'll be getting a lot of actual experience, so it'll be much more than an introductory class. You have nothing to lose, so go for it!!!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2004

It's a good skill to have. Some places nurses and techs draw blood. We went through a phase about seven years ago where they laid off phlebotomy and made nursing draw all labs, mainly it was the techs who did this after going through a course similar to yours. It didn't work out as the lab said the error rate skyrocketed with nurses drawing blood, and the nurses who didn't have techs objected to the added on duties. I think it was sabatoged a bit by the laboratory, but was very happy when they ditched the idead and hired phlebotomists to do phlebotomy.

Good luck.

wjf00 · Mar 17, 2004

In NICU we draw all our own labs. I would NEVER let a phlebotomist near a premie under my care.

Southern Charm · Mar 17, 2004

Hi Louisepug!

I would have to agree with those who encouraged you to go ahead and take the class. It will be a good skill to have, and you will have a better understanding of the venous system and its anatomical geography. It will serve you well when you are a new nurse having to start an IV - no anxiety for you!!! Actually, nurses in research often draw blood and spin it out in the centrifuge themselves. The phlebotomy class will probably have labs and clinicals to help you develop proficiency. :)

Gompers, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2004

In NICU we draw all our own labs. I would NEVER let a phlebotomist near a premie under my care.

Same here. I think phlebotomy used to come up and do the labs here, but no more. The nurses do all the IVs, capillary sticks, and arterial draws.

Achoo!, LPN · Mar 17, 2004

Clinic nurses draw labs quite a bit also.

Loribabble · Mar 17, 2004

I think it is a great skill to have... we have to draw all of our labs at night.

I personally LOVE the challenge of a difficult stick!