Phlebotomy

Program Description

Phlebotomists are healthcare professionals who draw blood samples from patients or donors. They are a vital part of laboratory teams. This curriculum prepares individuals for the profession of obtaining blood and other specimens for the purpose of laboratory analysis.

Two or more semesters may be required to these pre-admission courses.

Graduates may be eligible for national certification as phlebotomy technicians.

Coursework includes proper specimen collection and handling, communication skills, and maintaining patient data. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor prior to their admission process to the Phlebotomy Program application deadline, in order to ensure the proper execution of prerequisite courses.

DEGREES / DIPLOMAS / CERTIFICATES

 


Outcomes

Year Completion Rate % Board Pass Rate % Employment Placement Rate %
2020-2021 100 100 93
2021-2022 100 100 85
2022-2023 100 100 90

KEY DEFINITIONS:

  1. The ASCP Pass Rate is defined as the number of graduates who completed and passed the Board of Certification Exam (BOC) exam on their first attempt within the first year of graduation.
  2. Completion Rate is defined as the number of students who entered the third semester of the MLT Program and subsequently completed the program within the next year.
  3. The Employment Placement Rate is defined as the number of graduates who found employment (in the clinical laboratory field or in a closely related field) and/or continued their education within one year of graduation

The Phlebotomy program at Southeastern Community College is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119 (Phone: 773-714-8880).

Admissions Procedures:

Potential applicants should read the information contained in the Student Readiness Checklist carefully and complete the checklist on the second page of the document.

Listed below are the steps required for entry into the Phlebotomy program at Southeastern Community College. The steps are provided as a guideline and, in all cases, the student should work closely with a Southeastern Community College advisor in the admissions process. Please note that the program’s financial aid status is pending.

  1. Complete and return the Southeastern Community College Admissions Application.
  2. Take the college placement assessment in the Counseling Center. Placement assessment dates and times are available in the Counseling/Admissions Office or at sccnc.edu.
  3. Request official high school and college transcripts to be sent to SCC. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED.
  4. Applicants must have credit for the following college courses:
    • ENG 002 or BSP 4002
    • ACA 122 or PSY 150
  5. Once the above requirements are completed, the applicant must meet with a member of the Admissions staff to complete the application for Phlebotomy. Applications for fall admission are due the last week of the summer semester and spring applications are due the last week of the fall semester. Check with admission counselors for specific dates.

Acceptance into the Phlebotomy program is announced by mail to the 18 best-qualified applicants the week following the application deadline. Final acceptance will be based on the admission requirements as described in the current Southeastern Community College catalog.

NOTE: For an individual student, there are only two (2) admissions into the Phlebotomy program in a five (5) year period.

Best Qualified Criteria:

Applicants to the Phlebotomy program are selected on a “best qualified” basis. After the application deadline, the applicants are ranked in order of qualifications. Qualifications are determined by the following criteria. Each criterion is assigned a point value. These points are tallied and ranked numerically in order to identify the best-qualified applicants.

  1. Grades in college courses related directly to the Phlebotomy program at SCC.
    • ENG 002 or BSP 4002: Transition English
      **Required courses for completion of the Phlebotomy certificate. A 5 point deduction will be made for each subject that a student repeats.
  2. Previous health professional training or proof of current certifications as listed below (points for the highest level earned):
    • High School Allied Health I & II, NAI, In-Home Aide
    • NAI (College), EMT, EMT-D
    • NAII, EMT-I, Pharmacy Tech, Gerontology, Medical Assistant
    • LPN, Paramedic, MLT, Respiratory, Radiography, Medic, Surgical Tech

Potential employment for students who complete their Phlebotomy certification may include placement in hospitals, clinics, physician offices and other healthcare settings.


Healthcare professionals require the performance of essential functions in order to provide safe care, generate accurate data and communicate effectively to patients and other health care personnel. To effectively train phlebotomy professionals, the performance of these functions is incorporated throughout the program. Faculty and students are required to demonstrate proficiency of these functions in the campus lab and clinical practicum. The essential functions include:

  1. Critical Thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment. For example, students must be able to identify cause-effect relationships in clinical situations; research and analyze data to aid in problem-solving; and, read and comprehend text, numbers and graphs displayed in print and on a video monitor.
  2. Interpersonal Skills sufficient to interact with individuals, families, groups, etc. from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds. For example, students must establish rapport with patients and healthcare team members.
  3. Communication Skills sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form. For example, students will explain specimen collection procedures and communicate with faculty members, fellow students, staff and other healthcare professionals verbally and in a recorded format (writing, typing, graphics and telecommunication).
  4. Mobility sufficient to move from room to room and maneuver in small spaces and stand and walk for extensive periods of time. For example, move around in a patient’s room, reach patients lying in a hospital bed and move close to benchtop clinical instruments such as a microscope.
  5. Motor Skills sufficient to perform test procedures accurately. For example, students will make fine adjustments to hand-held objects, handle contaminated needles safely and move 20-pound instruments from one area to another.
  6. Hearing Ability sufficient to monitor equipment and access health needs. For example, students will hear monitor alarms, public address pages and cries for help.
  7. Visual Ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in the performance of laboratory procedures. For example, students will observe specimen reaction colors and turbidity, as well as observe patient responses.
  8. Tactile Ability sufficient for collecting blood specimens. For example, students will palpate the skin.
  9. Weight-bearing Ability to lift and manipulate/move a 20-instrument or box of supplies from one area to another.
  10. Cognitive Ability to be oriented to time, place, and person as well as organize responsibilities and make decisions. For example, students will organize and prioritize routine and emergency analyses.

Southeastern Community College is an ADA-compliant institution. The college does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to its programs, services or activities for qualified individuals who meet essential eligibility requirements. The college will provide reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities of individuals who are eligible to receive or participate in college programs, services or activities.

Student Development Services provides a disability counselor to assist students in requesting disability-related accommodations. If a student believes that he/she cannot meet one or more of the essential functions without accommodations, the student should make this requirement known to the ADA counselor as soon as possible.

Students must certify the ability to meet essential functions of the profession by a signed statement in the beginning of the program.

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