Phlebotomy question ( my moral brain in overdrive)

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I cannot apply until Sept for Jan. acceptance for nursing school. All pre-reqs will be done then.

Now knowing that...my boyfriends mother is a phlebotomist. She has been one for 25 years. She even teaches courses at a CC the next county over. She told me not to bother applying for her class and she also told me not to audit it....just show up ( which means I would get the class for free- which I think is not ethical considering the other people are paying for it)

According to HER ( her PERSONAL opinion) the nursing program here( at my CC) really S*ucks when it comes to teaching blood taking.etc on the nursing students.

My thought is that....I have heard a lot of people saying that " outside experience" can at *times* be just thrown out the door when it comes to the nursing program...you have to re-learn. So, if that's the case...should I bother?

My second though is that if I just *show up* I am stealing a free education when everyone else in the class is paying for it...I am very uncomfortable with that and when I told her that she said " bumpkus...I can teach you in my spare time...but since it's YOUR spare time..just SHOW UP".

My CC doesn't offer " phlebotomy" as a course. Not even training. However, considering I don't have "outside experience" I figure phlebotomy training can't hurt on my application...so I said you know..I will apply and pay for it. In which she said " Don't waste your money...I'll just train you outside class".

Uh...I won't be able to be put on my application! hello!

Anyway.. then I called my CC about it and they said it probably wouldnt matter that much but couldnt hurt

Sooooooooooooo would you:

A) pay to take the course

B) not pay and just show up

C) let her show you on free time

D) not bother

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Pay to take the course. Don't start crossing the line when it comes to ethical behavior. Really. It can come back to bite you or your patient.

steph

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Specializes in Operating Room.

If you think you may need/want a credit in the course, pay for it. If not, don't bother. I don't think it is an issue about being ethical.

If your car broke down, and you have a relative/friend that is a mechanic and he/she offers to fix it for free, wouldn't you let them???

If you have a relative that is a lawyer, and he/she offers to write up a living will for you for free, wouldn't you let it happen?

The examples can go on and on......

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Is she saying just show up so that you can learn because she thinks it will a help to you as a nurse, since as she says they don't do a good job of teaching.

If it's not a required course for you, and you just show up as an observer as her guest, don't get a grade, aren't on the roles, and you're just a body in the room, then why not take advantage of the offer to learn?

On the other hand, if it's against the rules, if it's a required course, etc. then go ahead and pay for it and take it like a real student. I would find out if this is a common practice that's overlooked by the school or if it's a serious violation of policy.

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Specializes in ER.

If you need to say that you've trained for it you'll need a piece of paper that says you were officially there, which means getting on the roll officially.

As far as going out of interests sake, it might be fun. If you actually practice on other students in class insurance won't cover you if you aren't registered, but just listening shouldn't hurt.

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Thanks guys.

No, I don't *need* it for my school. It's not even offered as a seperate course..it's just part of your nurses training. The CC she teaches at does offer it as a seperate course....and I didn't even think about insurance, etc.

My school says you don't need outside training/experience but there is still a place on the application to put any you have and dates...so I figure completeing it will give me *something* to put there.

I'm going to pay and take it. She will just have to accept it :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

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Specializes in Cardiac.

As others have said, auditing a class is just attending and not receiving any college credit for it. There is nothing unethical about it at all; anybody can audit any college course (there was a nurse auditing in my pharm class last year). As far as I know, phlebotomy is not covered in nursing school--it's definately not covered in mine. My 0.02, take the class. I have been doing phlebotomy for 10 years, and it is invaluable when it comes to starting IVs.

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I cannot apply until Sept for Jan. acceptance for nursing school. All pre-reqs will be done then.

Now knowing that...my boyfriends mother is a phlebotomist. She has been one for 25 years. She even teaches courses at a CC the next county over. She told me not to bother applying for her class and she also told me not to audit it....just show up ( which means I would get the class for free- which I think is not ethical considering the other people are paying for it)

According to HER ( her PERSONAL opinion) the nursing program here( at my CC) really S*ucks when it comes to teaching blood taking.etc on the nursing students.

************************************************

My reply regarding ethics was in response to the boyfriend's mom saying just show up, don't apply and don't audit . . .

I realize people audit - but the OP is being asked not to do any of those things. I still think it is unethical. JMO of course.

And she has decided to pay for the course anyway. It surely can't hurt to be safe rather than sorry.

steph

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Phlebotomy is not offered as a part of the nursing program here either but the medical microbiology professor teaches phlebotomy for $500. I would be tempted to take it for free if it were offered to me. But in the end I would be so afraid of steping on toes and getting in trouble so I would pay too.

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Since she is a relative I wouldn't worry about paying if she doesn't want you to. I don't think it's an ethical issue because you know her well. I'm sure if another student had a relative teaching they would do the same thing. I just wouldn't let anyone know in the class so they don't think you're getting special treatment or anything. I don't see anything wrong with it....... as long as it doesn't get her into any trouble that is.

JMO! :)

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Go ahead, take the plunge and pay for the course. Part of the fee is 15 bucks or something for insurance so you can do a 10 hour clinical at the local hospital or something, perhaps. I'm in my third year of the BSN program and I had my wife in the ER last week. The RN had good technique for finding veins, but her phlebotomy skills were lacking. To take a patients blood, not inverting a citrate, stat chem and lavender tube, as well as drawing with unlabeled tubes are some of the important things you will learn not to do. If the place was busier, who knows who's blood would get mismatched.

Very good skill to have regardless, and the training goes a long way to teach interpersonal communication. It can also give you a part time job down the road while in school!

G

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If you are going to spend the time in the class...enroll and pay for it...the certificate is good to have and the experience is invaluable......any phleb training you will get in nursing school is not going to be as complete..and the skills and knowledge you learn are are worth your time and money... besides ...if you're going to spend the time in the class you deserve to get credit for it and receive the certificate

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