Key Takeaways
- HCAs already have many of the skills phlebotomy needs.
- The main addition is phlebotomy training plus supervised practice.
- Some employers train existing staff in-house.
Why HCAs Are Well Placed
As an HCA you already work in clinical settings, talk with patients, follow infection control and work in a team. Phlebotomy adds one specific clinical skill, venepuncture, and offers a more focused role.
Transferable Skills
- Patient communication — explaining procedures and reassuring patients.
- Infection prevention and control — hand hygiene, PPE and waste disposal.
- Observation — noticing when a patient is unwell or anxious.
- Record-keeping.
- Working under pressure.
- Teamwork.
Training You Need
- Theory — venous anatomy, order of draw, sample handling, infection control and complications.
- Practical training — on training arms and, ideally, supervised practice on real patients.
- Supervised practice — employers want evidence of a number of successful supervised draws before signing you off. Some courses include it; others leave you to arrange it.
Ask your employer first: some train existing staff in-house or fund external courses.
Getting Experience
- Ask to shadow the phlebotomy team
- Raise phlebotomy at your appraisal and add it to your development plan
- Help the phlebotomist on your ward with non-needle tasks such as identification and labelling
- Look for bank or agency phlebotomy shifts that accept newly trained staff
Booking blood draws for your patients?
Lola Dispatch is an invitation-only platform healthcare businesses use to book mobile blood draws with approved phlebotomists. It does not take bookings from the public.