Online phlebotomy classes are taught with videos or webcasts. This allows the students to see hands-on demonstrations of the techniques, and it enables students to stop or slow down sections that they need to review further.
Students with restrictive work schedules or family obligations might not be able to attend traditional classes. With an online program, the student can fit classes into his schedule.
Those who can benefit from taking online phlebotomy courses include: phlebotomists-in-training, nurses, medical assistants, technicians, physicians' assistants, lab technicians, and health care professionals who need a refresher course on drawing blood and samples.
Areas of study for a phlebotomy student include: phlebotomy procedures; learning to perform the venipuncture; legal situations in phlebotomy; preventing pre-analytical errors in the laboratory; basic medical terminology; skin puncture collection (finger stick); how to complete difficult draws; electrocardiograph and vital signs; collection equipment; anatomy and physiology; and dealing with difficult people.
Graduates from a phlebotomy program become eligible to apply to sit for the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) registry examination for certification as a Phlebotomy Technician, PBT (ASCP).