Level 3 Award: Introduction to Phlebotomy Practices & Techniques

Level 3 Award: Introduction to Phlebotomy Practices & Techniques

This 2-day course is delivered in Leicester, and teaches you all you need to be able to perform the venepuncture procedure and set you on the right course to becoming a professional phlebotomist.
It is one of the only courses in the country accredited by a nationally recognised awarding body, the NCFE, which ensures the quality of the teaching and assessment, making it a valuable asset on your CV.

Who Is It For?

This 2 day course is designed for complete beginners with no healthcare/medical experience required but it is also suitable for experienced clinicians, who have never received formal training, looking to reaffirm their knowledge and skills.

What Will I Learn?

The course teaches three units over 30 hours, including 15 hours (2-days) of classroom training, and roughly 15 hours of home study:

Unit 1: Understanding the Role of the Phlebotomist;
Unit 2: Understanding Phlebotomy Practices and Techniques;
Unit 3: Applying Basic Phlebotomy Practices and Techniques

These units, and the contents of the course have been developed in line with the CH132 National Occupational Standard for Obtaining Venous Blood Samples, (written by ‘Skills for Health’ for the NHS).

Day 1:

Day 1 is about the theory of phlebotomy. You will cover:

• The roles and legal responsibilities of the phlebotomist;

• Health and safety in the phlebotomy working environment;

• The importance of gaining informed consent;

• How to control the spread of infection;

• How to use and apply a tourniquet;

• How to deal with a Needle Stick Injury (NSI);

• The possible complications of venepuncture, and how to deal with them;

• The anatomy associated with venepuncture;

• Selecting an appropriate site for venepuncture.

Our trainers are skilled at making the day a fun experience, with many practical exercises and group discussions. You will get to know your fellow students, and work as a team.

Home Study Assignment:

You will be given a number of short written assignments to take home and complete during the evening of day 1. In the morning there will be time to go through your answers with the assessors, and clarify any points.

These assignments ensure that what you have learnt has sunk in, and encourage you to use the course handbook, and external references to top-up your learning through independent investigation.

Day 2:

Day 2 is devoted to practical work, you will cover:

• Assembling the needle and the correct techniques to hold the needle;

• The entire venepuncture procedure (including patient care before and after the procedure);

• How to use a variety of systems (Evacuated, Aspiration and Butterfly).

You will work through the procedure as a group before breaking off to role-play with a partner. You will use state of the art equipment, including wearable pads and artifical arms, with accurate veins and ‘blood’. You will not be drawing blood from your partners. The day will end with a final practical assessment, taking you through a real world role-play scenario.

Certification

You will receive your certificate within 2-3 weeks following completion of the course. We can also issue attendance certificates if required for employers or interviews.

The certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of the course. Within 2 years most people will have accumulated enough experience to surpass this qualification, however, if you feel you need to refresh your skills, for your own personal development, or because you are out of practice, we do offer a shorter refresher course.

What are the course entry requirements?

You do not need any prior qualifications or experience to take part in this course.

The award is a level 3 qualification, so it is deemed to be of a similar difficulty to A Levels. It is preferable if you have at least a Level 2 (GCSE) qualification before starting this course, but not necessary.

You will be asked to complete several written assignments as part of the course assessment. If you feel you may need extra help to complete these assignments, because of a learning or physical disability, you can let us know in the course application form which is emailed to you when you book the course.