Phlebotomists Are Heroes – Why We Need More of Them

Phlebotomy is one of the most significant branches of medical science, as it deals with the collection and testing of bodily fluids. Lab phlebotomists collect blood from veins, and collect other body fluid samples like urine and spit to conduct medical tests on them. These tests identify underlying medical conditions, helping doctors treat patients accurately. Moreover, phlebotomists are a significant part of scientific studies requiring continuous blood collection and sampling.

You can find lab phlebotomists in laboratories, medical centers, or clinics. But today, phlebotomy services have simplifies matters for patients and these professionals visit patients’ homes to collect and test blood samples.

But why are phlebotomists in demand? Here’s why!

Are Phlebotomists in Demand?

Yes, phlebotomy is one of the most in-demand fields in medical science today. According to research, the demand for phlebotomists will increase by 22% from 2020-to 2030, more than the average job demand rate increase. However, many people choose to consider other branches of medical science.

But Phlebotomists are necessary for medical science procedures, as doctors can’t treat patients without accurate reports unless phlebotomists do their job. With less supply and more demand, here’s why the world needs more of these medical heroes.

Conducting Research about COVID-19 Sub Variants

If you think that the whole COVID-19 nightmare is a thing of the past, you might have to reconsider your thoughts. After the original COVID-19, we saw many variants and sub-variants, like Alpha, Delta, and Omicron, impacting people’s health worldwide. And it’s still not over!

Recently, we saw the COVID-19 sub-variant Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 affecting people in many countries. Medical experts and scientists agree that COVID-19 variants and sub-variants are here to stay, and the world will probably witness a new variant every couple of months.

But that’s not the worst part. According to news reports, these variants and sub-variants won’t get less dangerous with time. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Scientists have even stated that the original COVID-19 vaccines like Pfizer, Moderna, Sinovac, and Sinopharm might soon lose their effectiveness against the new COVID-19 variants. This greatly emphasizes the need for a new vaccine that would work against the COVID-19 variants in the future. In this huge fiasco, scientists are doing their best to research more about the ever-evolving COVID-19 variants in the hopes of creating a more effective vaccine. This is where the world can benefit from phlebotomists.

Making a new vaccine requires continuous blood collection and sampling. Scientists have to use the blood samples of people affected by the new COVID-19 variants to determine if the alleged vaccine works on the latest COVID-19 variant. Phlebotomists can help these scientists by collecting and testing blood samples urgently so that the world can get what it needs: a better vaccine or any other preventative treatment against COVID-19 variants.

Until COVID-19 variants keep affecting people, we will need more phlebotomists to fight the war against the pandemic as Frontline heroes.

Finding Treatments for Untreatable Diseases

COVID-19 isn’t the only medical condition affecting people everywhere. In fact, it’s every disease that doesn’t have a medical cure and kills people. These diseases include cancer, dementia, lung diseases, kidney and liver issues, neurological diseases, and Alzheimer’s. So far, no treatment or medication prevents people from dying due to these diseases.

For example, doctors recommend participating in brain activities like playing chess and doing puzzles to stay mentally healthy, minimizing the risk of Alzheimer’s. However, once an individual develops Alzheimer’s, their condition worsens slowly as they forget to do even daily life tasks, and in extreme cases, even forget to eat or drink.

Unfortunately, medical science hasn’t developed an effective medication against Alzheimer’s and other such untreatable diseases. However, this doesn’t mean that these medical experts aren’t trying. Many doctors are constantly striving to get a breakthrough and find a better treatment for untreatable diseases.

For this purpose, they need access to fluid samples of people who get these diseases. Lab phlebotomists can conduct blood and urine tests to determine the impact of a scientist’s experiment on a person with an untreatable disease. We hope that researchers will soon find a cure for all these untreatable diseases with constant sampling and testing. But of course, they would need more phlebotomists to get the job done.

Creating a More Accepting World with DNA Tests

It’s no secret that the world is changing, and conventional parenting has been replaced with more unconventional forms of parenting, like raising children with unmarried parents. Just in the US, around one-third of children have unmarried parents. In the past, such children rarely got the same legal, probate, and estate rights as children with married parents.

However, the people of the United States are becoming more accepting, and almost all states have modified their laws to ensure that children with unmarried parents get their deserved share in their parents’ estate plans. Courts can easily link children back to their mothers, but what happens when they find the fathers of children with unmarried parents? The best way to do that is by DNA testing, which lab phlebotomists can help with.

These lab phlebotomists can collect the DNA of such fathers and conduct tests to establish paternity. This procedure also works the other way around, where fathers want to establish paternity legally. Lab phlebotomists make the procedure smoother, easier, and quicker. With lab phlebotomists around, courts and other legal facilities can get the results of DNA tests in no time. Besides conducting parent-child DNA testing, lab phlebotomists are also the best option to find lost siblings or grandparents through DNA testing.

Helping Legal Facilities like Police with DNA Testing

Besides being the unsung heroes of the medical world, lab phlebotomists can also be the heroes that help identify criminals. Police and other legal facilities can use on-spot DNA testing to get the possessions at the scene tested. This will make the search for criminals quicker and better. A forensic phlebotomist in every precinct or crime scene visiting party can improve the police system. But we do need more forensic phlebotomists for that!

More Lab Phlebotomists Means More Patients Can Get Urgent Treatment

Do you know that doctors often make mistakes while diagnosing and treating medical conditions? This is why doctors in the United States recommend patients get as many tests as possible before prescribing medication or diagnosing medical conditions. This method ensures that patients get the best treatment possible and minimizes the risk of a patient’s condition worsening due to incorrect diagnosis and medication.

Hiring a lab phlebotomist is the best way to ensure that every patient gets urgent and proper treatment. A lab phlebotomist could conduct urgent blood tests to help doctors diagnose health issues as soon as possible. With proper and fast diagnosis, patients would have a better chance of recovery. In addition, fast diagnosis also means fast recovery. More phlebotomists would improve health facilities and procedures for patients.

Moreover, doctors would also benefit from having more lab phlebotomists as they won’t be under continuous threat of getting sued for diagnosing a disease wrong. Phlebotomists make life better for both doctors and patients, which is why the world needs more phlebotomists.

Expert Phlebotomists Minimize the Risk of Disease Exposure and Spread

Do you know that incorrect handling or transportation of a blood sample can lead to a disease outbreak? Any test tube falling and breaking can spread germs everywhere, and anyone who comes into contact with the exposed blood or urine samples can contract these diseases. Therefore, the hospitals must hire expert Phlebotomists who can handle samples better, ensuing a safe environment for everyone.

More Phlebotomists mean that one person won’t be responsible for mixing blood samples or mishandling them, as many phlebotomists would make the process easier and safer. Hiring more phlebotomists is the answer if hospitals and clinics want to ensure that every test sample is handled correctly.

They Are Frontline Soldiers against New Diseases

Besides the COVID-19 virus, the world faces new diseases almost every year. In 2014-2016, African countries went through a major epidemic when Ebola Virus affected thousands of African citizens, making it a global issue.

Whenever any new disease starts affecting people, scientists and medical experts come together to find the treatment for that disease. And these scientists need phlebotomists to help them continuously through the research and development of a new vaccine or medication. The world will come across many new diseases in the future, which means that we need more phlebotomists. More people joining phlebotomy would help medical experts when they need continuous blood sampling.

Phlebotomists Create a Safe Environment While Drawing Blood

Around 15 percent of the world’s population experiences unconsciousness during blood draws. Moreover, a large percentage of people are afraid to give blood samples due to a fear of needles, seeing blood, or pain. But does that mean they would never have to give a blood sample? The answer is no, as anyone who gets a major disease has to go through a blood draw. You may ask that it would just increase the risk of them fainting during a blood test, but more lab phlebotomists can help.

More expert phlebotomists mean that every patient giving blood samples gets individual attention. This will help phlebotomists create a comfortable environment for patients scared of giving blood before pricking them with a needle. A comfortable environment and a gentle phlebotomist who doesn’t rush the process will keep the patient calm, regulating their blood flow and blood pressure, minimizing the risk of a patient fainting during the blood drawing process.

More phlebotomists means that a phlebotomist won’t have to rush through taking blood samples to get to other patients and can prepare the patient before taking their blood samples. This method can also reduce the fear of giving blood to people everywhere.  

Phlebotomists Are Needed During Emergencies

Besides being a vital part of medical procedures, phlebotomists are also the unsung heroes that handle emergencies. In emergencies like natural disasters, government organizations set up blood banks to collect blood for people in need.

More phlebotomists mean that more blood banks and collection centers can operate, saving more lives. Like all other sectors, phlebotomists also indirectly help people in urgent need of blood.

What Do Phlebotomists Get?

Above, we discussed why the world needs more phlebotomists and how phlebotomists are the unsung heroes of the medical world. However, this was all about how phlebotomists benefit patients and doctors, but how can people benefit from pursuing phlebotomy? Here are some reasons why you should consider becoming a phlebotomist.

Continuously Increasing Demand

As discussed above, phlebotomists are in-demand and will remain in demand in the future. You will have a job that offers maximum security as blood collection will always be around.

Minimal Requirements

If you want a career in the healthcare sector without a degree, phlebotomy is for you. Getting started as a phlebotomist is easy and inexpensive, unlike other career paths requiring expensive college degrees. You can simply get a certification in a few weeks or in a couple of months to start working as a phlebotomist.

A Chance to Learn and Grow

Lab phlebotomists get a chance to learn more about medical diseases and terms by inspecting different blood samples. Phlebotomists also work in teams, increasing their exposure to more knowledge.

Join Phlebotomy On Wheels as a Lab Phlebotomist

Now that you know that various healthcare sectors can benefit from more people pursuing phlebotomy, why not give it a shot? Phlebotomy On Wheels is constantly searching for expert phlebotomists in VA. These lab phlebotomists would travel to the patient’s location and provide home blood draw services.

Phlebotomy On Wheels is a well-known mobile blood draw service provider, and you can explore, learn, and grow while working with them. Get in touch in case of any queries and join hands with them in providing mobile blood draw services VA.