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Phlebotomist

Phlebotomist

This checklist was electronically signed on September 12, 2026

Instructions: This checklist is meant to serve as a general guideline for our client facilities as to the level of your skills within your nursing specialty. Please use the scale below to describe your experience/expertise in each area listed below.

Proficiency Scale:

1 = No Experience

2 = Need Training

3 = Able to perform with supervision

4 = Able to perform independently

PATIENT RIGHTS

Communicate and obtain information while respecting patient rights, privacy, and confidentiality of information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
Involve the patient and family and respect their role in determining the nature of care to be provided
Meet patient's and families' needs regarding communication, including interpreter services
Provide accurate information to patients and families in a timely manner
Communicate and obtain information while respecting patient rights, privacy, and confidentiality of information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
Involve the patient and family and respect their role in determining the nature of care to be provided
Meet patient's and families' needs regarding communication, including interpreter services
Provide accurate information to patients and families in a timely manner

APPROPRIATE PPE FOR THE FOLLOWING SCENARIOS

Standard Precautions (PPE to be Worn Based on Anticipated Level of Exposure)
Contact/Contact Enteric Precautions (Gown & Gloves)
Droplet Precautions (Surgical Mask)
Airborne Precautions (N95 where Appropriate)

REGULATORY AGENCIES/STANDARDS OF CARE AGENCIES

World Health Organization (WHO)
Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

INTERDISCIPLINARY COMMUNICATION

Communicate with patients and their companions in a courteous manner using age and cultural appropriate methods.
Understand the chain of communication, who to contact, and when.
Listen actively to patient concerns and address them appropriately.
Maintain patient confidentiality according to HIPAA guidelines i.e.: status updates to family members.
Implement effective solutions for communication with patients when barriers exist i.e.: physiological, cultural, language.

COMPLICATIONS

Edema
Excessive Bleeding
Failure to Draw Blood
Fainting
Hematomas
Infections
Petechiae

EVALUATE LABORATORY DATA

Assess Accuracy of Test Procedure
Recognize and Report Abnormal Results
Recognize Need for Additional Testing

GENERAL VENIPUNCTURE METHOD

Bleeding Times
Blood Culture Bottles
Butterfly Method
Syringe Method
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
Vacationer Method

IDENTIFYING PATIENTS

Emergency Department Patient ID
ID of Infants
ID of Young Children
Inpatient Identification
Outpatient Identification

KNOWLEDGE OF APPROPRIATE BLOOD TUBES

Blood Cultures
Brown Topped (Lead)
Gray Topped (Fluoride, Potassium Oxalate)
Green Topped (Heparin, Ammonia)
Light Blue Topped (Coagulation)
Purple Topped (EDTA)
Red Topped (Plain)
Serum Separation (Tiger Top, Speckled, etc.)

PEDIATRIC PHLEBOTOMY PROCEDURES

Finger Stick
Heel Stick
Microcapillary Skin Puncture
Neonatal Screening
Venipuncture

PRINCIPLES RELATED TO SAFETY

Blood Borne Pathogens Exposure Plan
Body Mechanics
Data Security
Handwashing
Hazardous Materials
Material Safety Data Sheets
Patient Confidentiality
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Quality Assurance
Radiation Safety
Standard Precautions
Tuberculosis Exposure Plan

PROCEDURES

Greet Patients
Explain Procedure
Test Requisitions
Supplies for Venipuncture
Positioning Patient
Venipuncture Sites
Warming the Puncture Site
Tourniquet Application
Tourniquet Removal
Decontamination of Puncture Site
Order of Specimen Collection
Invert Tube Post Draw
Apply Site Pressure Post Draw
Bandage Post Draw
Proper Waste and Sharps Disposal
Specimen ID and Labeling
Basic Specimen Handling
Specialized Specimen Handling
Transportation of Specimen to Laboratory

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

Blood Alcohol
Burned Areas
Cardiac Arrest
Damaged Veins
Dialysis
Glucometer Systems
Heparin Locks
Hickman Catheter
Mastectomy
Occluded Veins
Port-A-Cath
Scarred Areas
Sclerosed Veins

TECHNOLOGY

Telehealth platforms
Smartphones
Tablets
Remote Monitoring Equipment
Electronic Health Record (EHR)
Data Analytics
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Chatbots
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Robots
Patient Engagement Tools
Video Conferencing Software
Secure Messaging Platforms
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): UpToDate
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): Zynx Health
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): VisualDX
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): Cerner
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): Epic

ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTATION

Allscripts
Care360
Oracle (Cerner)
CPSI
eCLinicalWorks
Eclipsys
EPIC
MACLAB
McKesson/Paragon
Meditech
PACS
Quadramed
Soarian

AGE-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Newborn/Neonate (birth to 30 days)
Infant (31 days to 12 months)
Toddler (1-3 years)
Preschooler (3-5 years)
School-age children (5-12 years)
Adolescents (12-18 years)
Young adults (18- 39 years)
Middle adults (39- 64 years)
Older adults (64-79 years)
Elderly adults (80+ years)

URINALYSIS AND BODY FLUIDS

Physical Urinalysis
Chemical Urinalysis
Microscopic Urinalysis
Cerebrospinal Fluids
Feces
Semen
Serous
Synovial Fluid