1)Over the course of the past 5 weeks, I completed a Phlebotomy program at Columbus Phlebotomy Training Center to receive my Phlebotomy certification. During this time, I learned extensive medical terminology, patient-centered care, order of draw, correct venipuncture techniques, and safe handling of medical equipment. Overall, this program encompassed all of the information I needed to perform a safe and effective draw on a patient.
2) After completing my STEP signature project, I feel as though I have a better understanding of myself and the medical field. I currently work as a PCNA at the Cleveland Clinic where I complete tasks such as taking vitals, performing glucose tests, and helping patients with activities of daily living. This is really the only clinical experience I have had on my medical professional journey so far. This phlebotomy program opened my eyes to a whole new world of medicine. I realized that in order to be a well-rounded individual and medical professional, it is crucial to gain experience in multiple different areas which is why I am so appreciative to have this experience. Furthermore, I also realized how necessary it is to know how to treat a patient with kindness, compassion, and empathy and to know the science and facts behind what I am doing. I also learned about and practiced patient-centered care. When performing venipuncture, our instructor made sure we were continuously talking to the patient and explaining what we were doing. I saw how big of an impact this can make for a patient, and is something I will do with any healthcare job I have.
Before taking this course, I assumed that phlebotomy was mainly focused on finding a vein, getting blood, and using the correct tubes. After completing the program, I realized how much more goes into phlebotomy. In the first few hours of each class, the other students and I were lectured on body systems, arm anatomy, blood components, veins and arteries, special collections, and point of care testing just to name a few. The last hour of class focused on doing the actual phlebotomy procedure. A lot of the information I learned during this program applied to many of the courses I am taking right now at Ohio State so it was good to see the connection.
3) My phlebotomy program was 7 hours per week over the course of two days. At the end of each class, for about an hour, my classmates and I would practice venipuncture techniques as well as fingersticks on eachother with the direct supervision of our instructor. I thought this was a very valuable experience because instead of practicing these techniques on fake arms, we got real, first-hand experience. Every individual is going to be different, whether that means the anatomy of their arm and their veins, how they react to the venipuncture, etc. So, this experience I feel will actually prepare me for when I obtain a phlebotomy job.
Throughout this whole experience, I was able to form great professional relationships with my other classmates. Each of us were going through this experience together, so working together was a necessity to get through this program. This experience taught me how to work as a collaborative team and how to work efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, our instructor, David, was very helpful throughout this experience. He would let us ask any questions throughout the lecture period as well as guide us in the lab while we were performing our venipunctures and fingersticks.
Lastly, in the first few hours of each class, the instructor taught us everything from arm anatomy and other body systems such as the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, to the order of tubes we draw. I never knew why the phlebotomists in hospitals walked around with so many different colored tubes. Now I know that each tube is meant for a specific test and each test looks for certain requirements such as medication levels, blood components, electrolyte levels, etc. I have a better understanding of which tube tests for what and what order to draw the tubes in. A lot of the other information I learned, I had background knowledge in because of the anatomy and physiology classes I took at Ohio State. Overall, this was an amazing program and I learned how to provide patient-centered care as well as the facts and science behind what phlebotomy is.
4) After graduating from The Ohio State University, I would like to attend Physician Assistant school. In order to be a competitive applicant to PA school, an individual must obtain a prodigious amount of direct patient-care hours. I already have my STNA certification and have been working as a PCNA at the Cleveland Clinic, but I wanted to gain a diverse background in the medical field and have as much experience as I could to become a more well-rounded applicant. Obtaining my phlebotomy certification will allow me to have more diverse experiences in the medical field, as I can now perform blood draws and work in a lab. Physician Assistant schools have a clinical year which means that students will work in many diverse settings and many diverse specialties. Having many diverse medical opportunities this early in my journey will provide me with a head start to my future career.
A Physician Assistant is an integral part of the healthcare team, as they diagnose, treat, and provide direct patient care under the supervision of a Physician. A Physician Assistant can change their specialty throughout their journey, becoming a well-rounded healthcare professional. This phlebotomy certification is a stepping-stone to my future.
