What's the difference between having a phlebotomy certificate and IV certifiation?

Nurses General Nursing

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I thought that if you had your IV certification you could withdraw blood and start IV's, but when I go see job requirements, some require you to have both an IV and phlebotomy certification. What's going on with this? Does one let you do something that the other does not? What I mean is, doesn't having your IV certification let you do everything a phlebotomist does?

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Specializes in LTC.

I too would like to know the answer. I have IV certification.

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There is a web page on my state site for phlebotomists that lists the requirements for Phlebotomy certification. The various levels of certification have increasing numbers of "sticks" on adult and peds clients as well as arterial sticks, as I recall. Phlebotomy is a stand alone certification and job classification. IV cert is more specific to IV therapy only and only an adjunct to licensed nurses (for the most part). It seems they would be the same, but there really is a difference. I took a phlebotomy course once and there was no mention of the material we covered in my IV cert course.

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Specializes in Travel.

Phlebotomy certification allows you to DRAW blood, IV certification allows you to cannulate a vein, then INFUSE a large variety of intravenous medications and blood products. There is a big difference! I have both!

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I agree with carliotta3. I am a certified phlebotomist and am IV certified. However, I am not aware that phlebotomists can do arterial sticks since that is something that as much as I know can only be done by MDs. I saw a laboratory technician get fired for doing an arterial stick when it was her turn to do phlebotomy rounds. Also, everywhere I have worked at so far it has not been permitted for a phlebotomist to do arterial sticks. However, if this is something new, I am really surprised.

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I saw the reference to arterial sticks on that web page. Apparently it is allowed in my state, but not at the beginner level.

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Art sticks can be done for ABGs by RTs here in NY too. That is part of their training here. Some hospitals here separate the training for nurses, some don't. Obviously phlebotomists who are not nurses can only do phlebotomy. Nurses generally are trained to do both, or can be. Legally they are allowed to do both--the training required for each is per facility. My first job I was "trained" by the nurse precepting me in L&D. Another required phlebotomy training with a lab they used where you had a written test and did 50 sticks. The IV cert was given after 10 sticks with someone from the IV team--even though I had at the time just come from yet another hospital where I was on a floor and without cert (they didn't require) doing TONS of IVs. They wouldn't wave the 10 sticks rule and being in psych we hardly had any IVs so I didn' bother. --Basically it depends on the hospital/facility. And really though you'd think getting into a vein is getting into a vein--the skill is a bit different. I know plenty of nurses who are great at one and not the other. Go figure.

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Viviana, you said it best. you were short, to the point, and quite exact. It could not have been explained any better. Kudos to you!

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anniee said:
I agree with carliotta3. I am a certified phlebotomist and am IV certified. However, I am not aware that phlebotomists can do arterial sticks since that is something that as much as I know can only be done by MDs. I saw a laboratory technician get fired for doing an arterial stick when it was her turn to do phlebotomy rounds. Also, everywhere I have worked at so far it has not been permitted for a phlebotomist to do arterial sticks. However, if this is something new, I am really surprised.

Wherever I have worked the Respiratory Therapists did the ABGs unless they were busy, then the phlebotomist did them.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
anniee said:
I agree with carliotta3. I am a certified phlebotomist and am IV certified. However, I am not aware that phlebotomists can do arterial sticks since that is something that as much as I know can only be done by MDs. I saw a laboratory technician get fired for doing an arterial stick when it was her turn to do phlebotomy rounds. Also, everywhere I have worked at so far it has not been permitted for a phlebotomist to do arterial sticks. However, if this is something new, I am really surprised.

Our phlebotomists and our nurses both do arterial sticks... and much better than do most of our docs.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

Doctors cannulate the artery for an arterial line. (As do some trained Nurse Practitioners in my state of CA.). RT's and RN's can perform arterial sticks for the purposes of drawing out a tiny amount of arterial blood in order to do an ABG.

I have never worked at a hospital in California which allowed Phlebotomists to perform art sticks.

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Can a RN foreign graduate Apply for phlebotomy license?

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