Should I get my phlebotomy cert?

Cardiacluv · Jul 11, 2016

I am currently a newish LPN (graduated 1.5 years ago) working in a doctor's office. I am hoping to start on my prerequisites for my BSN in the fall but I'm hesitant to do so due to one thing: I do not know how to draw blood.
During the program I went through to get my LPN, they spent probably 5 minutes on it during lab and I have never practiced on anyone and do not have the opportunity to learn at my current and only nursing job. I feel like I missed out on this as every nurse I've met seems to be able to do this, even the new grads.
My question is, should I take phlebotomy classes before I go for my BSN? I feel like if I go for my BSN before learning this, I will be behind and embarrassed. Any advice would be a great help!

Wow, I have the same issue (minus the going for BSN part).

brownbook · Jul 11, 2016

Many "real" acute care nurses go their whole career, even in bedside acute care nursing, without drawing blood and even starting IV's.

A nurse in a large hospital usually has lab technicians available 24/7 and it is the accepted, even expected, protocol for blood draws to be done by the lab techs. Some nurses, even in ICU's, hardly ever start IV's, the patients have central lines. Some large hospitals have line teams 24/7 that start all IV's. These are usually large urban hospitals, and I've heard line teams aren't as common as they used to be?

So it it certainly harmless, maybe even could be good, helpful, depending on where you end up working, to learn phlebotomy, but hardly essential or anything to feel bad about that you can't do.

If you end up working where phlebotomy and IV starts are common and expected you may easily pick up the skill on the job, or can look for a class to take then. I wouldn't worry about it before you've gotten your BSN.