Venepuncture/Phlebotomy for HCAs

This course is for Health Care Assistants and Phlebotomists in primary care, the community, hospitals or nursing homes. You will gain skills and knowledge on how to carry out venepuncture with a practical session on performing blood tests, which gives you an opportunity to practice. This course will give delegates the theoretical and practical awareness to undertake a competence assessment framework in the workplace that will deem them competent to take blood safely and appropriately. Each delegate will leave with a competence-based framework to enable assessment of competence in the workplace.

Course Content

Background and importance of training and competence
Supervision and practice
Scope and responsibilities
Professional and legal issues
What is Venepuncture
Tools of the trade – equipment
Needles and patient safety
Blood collection systems and devices
Syringes – when to use
Blood collection tubes
Labelling
Anatomy and physiology
Vein selection:
- Identification of veins
- Arm veins
- Hand veins
Vein assessment
Unacceptable sites for venous collection
Venepuncture procedure
Specimen collection procedures
Specimen handling post venepuncture
Personal protective equipment
Needle stick injuries
Disposal
Needle phobias
Practical session
Potential complications (including infection control)
Practical application – techniques and troubleshooting
Case scenarios

Aims/Objectives

Identify and describe equipment used for routine venepuncture
Assess and select suitable sites used for venepuncture as well as locations to avoid
Describe and utilize the required steps to perform routine venepuncture
Describe actions that ensure safety during performance of a venepuncture