By Jeanne du Plessis

What do talk show host Conan O’Brien and martial arts star Jackie Chan have in common? They both have a fear of needles. While not everybody is afraid of needles, it’s safe to say that not many of us like them either, but having blood drawn is a common medical procedure that we all have to go through at some stage.

The individual who draws the blood can make all the difference, particularly when patients are children, and this is where phlebotomy technicians come in. 

Phlebotomy technicians are individuals who are trained to collect human specimens for laboratory testing, and often this involves drawing blood. A need arose in the medical field for specialists who could collect specimens for diagnostic purposes, and this need was filled by Ampath when they registered as an employer and training provider for phlebotomy technicians in 2006.

Angeline Seroke is a phlebotomy technician at the Ampath Olivedale Clinic. She lists her work duties as “drawing blood from patients, including babies, deciding what’s urgent and prioritising accordingly, following up on results and providing outstanding customer service, which is the most important part.”

Although drawing blood is one of the most common tasks of phlebotomy technicians, they also collect a variety of other human specimens for pathology including urine, stool, sputum, semen, saliva, sweat, nail clippings, hair and swabs. Specialised procedures such as a glucose tolerance test, TB skin testing and bleeding time tests are also performed.

While medical technologists and technicians analyse these specimens in the lab, it’s the phlebotomy technicians that work directly with the patients and put a name and face to a sample. Angeline describes the ideal phlebotomy technician as “a people’s person who is empathetic rather than sympathetic. You need to be assertive and able to work well under pressure.”

Enjoying working with people is crucial for a hands-on job such as this. People who come for medical tests often do so because they are ill, and consequently

they may be unusually irritable and difficult. When drawing blood from crying babies, it’s the anxious mothers that will have to be reassured. Undertaking job tasks in a professional, competent manner helps to reduce the discomfort and anxiety of patients.

Many patients will have concerns and queries, so it’s advantageous for phlebotomy technicians to have a good understanding of medical conditions and procedures and a calm, reassuring manner. This is particularly true when testing for conditions such as HIV.

In this case, phlebotomy technicians don’t just draw the blood; they’re also responsible for pre-test counselling. Patients are likely to be emotional and anxious, but Angeline insists that she enjoys this aspect of her job: “I can make someone else realise how rewarding life actually is. Knowing that I made a difference in someone’s life is very rewarding.” Along with these tasks, phlebotomy technicians are also responsible for handling informed consent, obtaining medical details, following up with doctors and completing all related paperwork.

If you feel you’re cut out for this career, Mathematics and Life Sciences at Matric level will be helpful. Ampath offers a two-year phlebotomy technician learnership which combines theory and practical training. After 18 months of learning, learners write the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) National Board exam which is followed by six more months of practical training before registering with the HPCSA as a phlebotomy technician.

Ampath pays phlebotomy interns a highly competitive salary while they learn, and once qualified phlebotomy technicians are given an opportunity for permanent employment. To date, Ampath boasts a 100 percent pass rate for phlebotomy technician learners since the start of the phlebotomy technician learnership. 

Angeline provides some sound advice with her parting words, “Don’t give into peer pressure and always take advice from your elders - they know better! Don’t let fear hold you back from becoming the best you can be.”