Phlebotomy Certificate (C45600)

This program prepares individuals to obtain blood and other specimens for the purpose of laboratory analysis. Coursework includes proper specimen collection and handling, communication skills, and maintaining patient data. Graduates may qualify for employment in hospitals, clinics, physicians' offices, and other healthcare settings and may be eligible for national certification as phlebotomy technicians.

Once enrolled in the phlebotomy course, the phlebotomy instructor will provide each student with the information about uniforms, immunizations, and clinical criteria. All students must pass PBT 100 with a grade of 80 or higher to take PBT 101.

Admission Requirements

  • Application to the College and NC Residency
  • Official high school transcript or equivalent

Post-Provisional Acceptance Requirements

The following must be completed to satisfy acceptance requirements:

  • Must be 18 years of age prior to the first day of clinical
  • Complete CCC Health Sciences Medical Form
  • Criminal background check and 12-panel drug screen obtained through a secure compliance tracking database
  • The following immunizations are required (more information will be provided during orientation):
    • Covid-19
    • Complete 2-Step TB Test or IGRA
    • Hepatitis B
    • Influenza (required between 9/1 - 10/31)
    • Varicella
    • Td or TDaP
    • MMR
    • Comply with the Technical Standards outlined for the program
    • Highly recommended for all students to have health insurance
  • Students must come to class every day wearing their uniform and student ID (Replacement ID Cost $5.00)
Clinical facilities may require criminal background checks, drug screenings, credit checks, and/or proof of US citizenship prior to or during participation in the clinical portion of the program. A student who is unable to complete the clinical portion of the program will not be able to graduate. Criminal background checks, drug screenings, credit checks, and/or proof of US citizenship may also be required after graduation by examination boards, state licensing boards, and employing agencies.

Essential Functions and Technical Standards

Purpose Statement

The following standards reflect reasonable expectations of students. In adopting these standards, the program is mindful of the patient’s right to safe and high-quality healthcare by students. The student must be able to apply the knowledge and skills necessary to function in a broad variety of clinical situations while providing high-quality patient care. These standards reflect what may be required for employment of the entry-level professional.

It is important that students who are admitted possess cognitive and critical thinking skills, interpersonal skills, behavioral skills, physical skills, and communication skills necessary to practice in the field. Reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities will be considered on an individual basis, but each student must be able to independently perform all performance standards demanded by the clinical site and the College. Accommodations will be provided in accordance with Disabilities Services at Cleveland Community College. The following abilities/skills are required, with or without accommodations. Students must meet the following technical standards and maintain satisfactory demonstration of these standards for progression throughout the program. Students unable to meet these technical standards will not be able to complete the program. The examples used are not all-inclusive. 

Capability

Standard

Examples of Technical Standard Found in the Program and Related to Industry

Cognitive Ability/Critical Thinking Skills

Demonstrate ability in reading and comprehension and use them together to demonstrate critical thinking skills and clinical reasoning.

Read and document data.
Operate various healthcare equipment, including blood pressure monitoring; follow procedures for venipuncture and modify approach if a method does not work for the patient.
Demonstrate a professional manner and insight into the communication process. Identify and immediately report changes in patient health status conditions that endanger patients, and evaluate patient complaints.
Critical thinking abilities sufficient to demonstrate rational judgment, organize tasks and responsibilities, make logical decisions, analyze data and reports, recognize potentially hazardous materials, infectious biological specimens, equipment, and situations and proceed safely.  Incorporate knowledge from lecture, laboratory and clinical experience to provide safe and efficient care for each patient.
Collect, analyze, and integrate information and knowledge to make clinical judgments and manage decisions that promote positive patient outcomes.  Ability to apply knowledge gained in the classroom and lab accurately, consistently, and independently.
Ability to problem solve in non-emergent and emergency situations. 

 Physical

Tactile Skills: Sense of touch sufficient to perform physical assessment and functions.

Seize, hold, grasp, and turn with hands; don gloves.
Perform palpation of vein, insertion of needle into vein and draw blood from patient without causing undue pain.
Detect changes in skin temperature.
Detect anatomical abnormalities such as infiltrated intravenous fluid.
Identify appropriate venipuncture sites by palpation.
Differentiate between arteries, veins, and vascular fistulas or shunts.

Fine Motor Skills: Perform psychomotor skills integral to patient services. Safely dispose of needles in sharps containers.
Manipulate small equipment and containers, such as syringes, needles, vials, ampules, and pipettes.

Mobility/Motor Skills: Possess skills sufficient to move from room to room and maneuver in small spaces. Be able to lift and carry or push up to 50 pounds to waist level without assistance.

Demonstrate adequate coordination.
Be able to endure long periods of standing, sitting, walking, bending, lifting, reaching, stooping, and moving in complex health environments.
Position and transfer patients safely in bed, wheelchair or stretcher.
Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Auditory Skills: Hearing ability (with corrective devices as needed) to monitor and respond to the patient and the healthcare team.

Hear instructions.
Demonstrate active learning skills.
Hear call for help.
Hear low noise level bells and/or buzzers.
Function when healthcare team is required to wear surgical masks.

Visual Skills: Visual ability (with corrective devices as needed) to monitor and assess patient care needs, performance of patient care procedures, and maintenance and compliance with environmental safety.

Accurately identify patients.
Read monitor data.
Read and document diagnostic records.
Possess visual acuity and intensity discrimination to evaluate the venipuncture site and execute needle insertion and completion of the blood draw.
Possess peripheral vision.
Possess depth perception.
Ability to distinguish between colors.
Read fine print.

Behavioral Skills

Possess the emotional stability to function effectively under stress and to adapt to an environment that may change rapidly, without warning, and/or in unpredictable ways.

Accept criticism and respond appropriately.

Tolerate physically taxing workloads.
Function effectively under stress.
Demonstrate caring, compassion, patience, and empathy, especially with a difficult stick.
Demonstrate flexibility, compassion, integrity, and self-motivation.
Ability to work as a team member.
Take responsibility for own actions and self-report errors or omissions.
Present a professional appearance.

Interpersonal Skills

Ability to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.

Demonstrate respect for the patient, their privacy, and family members.
Develop and maintain effective, mature and sensitive professional relationships with other members of the healthcare team.
Establish rapport with patients, families and colleagues.        

Communication Skills

Ability to communicate effectively in the classroom, laboratory, and all clinical settings with patients, families and members of the health care team. Students must be able to speak and converse with all persons across the lifespan.

Read, comprehend, and write legibly in the English language.
Demonstrate technological literacy.
Be able to collect and document data.
Provide clear and audible directions to patients.

Occupational Exposure

Healthcare is often delivered in high-stress areas, requiring management of multiple roles and duties simultaneously. The student must possess the ability to protect self and others by implementing appropriate precautions due to possible exposure to radiation, communicable disease and/or body fluids, toxic substances, or other hazards.

Exposure to blood and body fluids and communicable and infectious diseases, requiring the wearing of personal protective equipment, i.e., masks, goggles, and gloves.
Follow Blood Borne Pathogen safety precautions.
Work with sharps and medical waste.
Exposure to latex and nitrile products if allergic.
Exposure to assault and battery
Environmental hazards – slippery floors, various levels of lighting, various room temperatures, etc.
Legal/ethical dilemmas
Liability issues

Estimated Total Cost for Program

Fee Description Cost
Tuition $997.00
Program Fees $24.00
Background, Drug Screen, & Immunization Tracker $135.00
Uniforms and Shoes

Uniform-Wonder Works: Wine Top, Slate Gray Pants

Uniforms may be purchased from Knighten Uniforms in Gastonia
$200.00
Malpractice Insurance $16.00
Textbooks $82.00
Pinning Fee $30.00 
Estimated Total $1484.00

Course and Hour Requirements

Required Courses

PBT 100Phlebotomy Technology

6

PBT 101Phlebotomy Practicum

3

PSY 150General Psychology

3

TOTAL CREDIT HOURS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION: 12