Description
This course is designed to prepare students to work in a clinical laboratory by giving students a thorough background of the concepts, basic responsibilities and skills that are unique to phlebotomy and by defining the role of the clinical assistant in the healthcare delivery system. This course will provide an overview of clinical laboratory work including organizational structures, regulatory standards, quality assurance practices and basic clinical laboratory procedures. Infections control principles, work place safety, laboratory terminology, behaviors for success, procedures to collect specimens, methods for preparing blood and body fluid specimens for analysis and the performance of basic tests at the clinical assistant level will be addressed. A thorough background in blood collection will be addressed, including demonstration of venipuncture and skin puncture techniques.