Philosophy and Goals
Program philosophy
The goal of this course is to provide the necessary background in both the theory of phlebotomy and in the laboratory skills necessary to work in the field. The students will take away a comprehension of the anatomy of specimen collection, the correlation between test request and the corresponding tube, a knowledge of pre-examination variables that may affect the quality of the specimen, and an understanding of various point of care tests. Upon completion, the student should feel confident in meeting the goals of this course and be closer to testing for their certification and externship.
Students are expected to read and study the text and all handouts as well as participate in lectures, labs and discussions. Due to the short nature of this program, reading the material before class is vital as it will increase comprehension of the information and will contribute to class discussion.
This course gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and document the required clinical competencies for the NCPT certification examination. Students will be required to perform 100 successful venipunctures and 5 successful capillary punctures during 100 hours of clinical practice under the supervision of qualified instructors and preceptors.
Program goals
The goal of the Phlebotomy certificate program at Mercy College is to prepare competent entry-level phlebotomists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
By the end of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of important concepts of healthcare delivery such as infection control, safety, quality assurance, and legal implications associated with the role of phlebotomy.
- Understand basic medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology that are associated with the procurement of quality laboratory specimens.
- Apply knowledge of blood and other specimen collection equipment to maximize results in the clinical setting.
- Perform venipuncture and other specimen collection procedures safely and competently.
- Integrate pre-analytical considerations into the procurement of quality specimens.
- Display ability to communicate professionally and confidently with clients and co-workers.