Phlebotomist

The University of Kansas Health System Phlebotomist is a position within the clinical laboratory that is responsible for interpreting orders for lab work from providers within The University of Kansas Health System which are entered in the Hospital Information System and orders from outside providers that are presented as a manual order. The Phlebotomist must be able to interpret these orders and accurately identify the correct tube type for each test. The Phlebotomist follows regulatory, accreditation, safety and hospital standards, policies and procedures, and performs positive patient identification for each patient prior to blood draw and confirming patient identification after labeling the tubes. In the ambulatory setting, the Phlebotomist presents labeled tubes to the patient to confirm proper labeling. In the in-patient setting, the Phlebotomist matches the labeled tubes with the patient’s wristband. The Phlebotomist understands the importance of all pre-analytical variables such as positive patient identification, correct tube types, specimen conditions and integrity and how they affect laboratory results, and participates in quality assurance and quality improvement activities. The Phlebotomist releases orders out of the Hospital Information System (HIS) and receives specimens in the Laboratory Information System (LIS); and processes specimens to include centrifugation, aliquoting urine and pouring off plasma or serum if necessary for testing. The Phlebotomist is considered the “face” of the clinical laboratory and is expected to represent the laboratory and themselves in a professional, respectful and courteous manner at all times. The Phlebotomist follows AIDET guidelines for customer service and patient satisfaction. Additionally, the Phlebotomist working in the ambulatory setting must prepare specimens for transport by scanning the bar-coded sample onto a LIS packing list. The Phlebotomist must be able to troubleshoot difficult orders and assist with troubleshooting missing specimens when indicated. This position performs some data entry functions, manages requisitions and answers telephones to assist Laboratory customers. The Phlebotomist must be patient focused and capable of multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment.