Phlebotomy licensure is the process by which various regulatory bodies regulate the practice of phlebotomy within its jurisdiction through licensure. In many countries a license is not required, or is obtained through other broader qualifications (such as a medical license), while in others, professional phlebotomists are separately licensed.
In most countries, there is not a dedicated a profession to phlebotomy, but it falls under the responsibility of other allied health professions such as nursing.[1][2][3]
In China, there are no national phlebotomy regulations, and phlebotomy is primarily performed by nurses, though Chinese nursing education offers limited training in phlebotomy quality control. [4]
Phlebotomists need not by licenced in the UK, but training can be provided on-the-job, sometimes with the support of the National Association of Phlebotomists.[5] The skills required may also be monitored through broader monitoring requirements, such as the licence to practice of the General Medical Council.
Main article: Phlebotomy licensure in the United States |
In the United States there are no federal phlebotomy training or certification requirements, though several states have imposed their own requirements. In 2024, four states require licensure for phlebotomy: California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington.
In 2001, California enacted phlebotomy licensure after an on-the-job trained phlebotomist was found to be re-using needles. Following California, several states including Massachusetts and Missouri attempted to introduce either licensure or training/educational requirements, but the bills died.[6][7][8]
Phlebotomy licensure advocates claim that the licensure would enhance the quality of personnel, while the laboratory industry opposes phlebotomy licensure as an unnecessary cost.[9][10][11]
Phlebotomy is not without risk, and more challenging patients increase the chance of complications.[12] However, without licensure, it can be difficult to hold bad actors accountable.
Increasingly, a number of healthcare facilities are rolling phlebotomy duties into their patient care technician roles or other allied health roles.[13][14]
A number of FDA 510k cleared devices, such as the BD Minidraw have been introduced to enable the drawing of blood without a phlebotomist.[15] Additionally, there are devices to help aid non-phlebotomists more readily find veins.[16]
There are several national phlebotomy certifications in the US.[17][18][19]
Abbr | Phlebotomy Certifying Agency | Certification | Designation | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
AAH | American Allied Health | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT (AAH) | |
ACA | American Certification Agency for Healthcare Professionals | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT(ACA) | |
AMCA | American Medical Certification Association | PTC (AMCA) | ||
AMT | American Medical Technologists | Register Phlebotomy Technician | RPT(AMT) | |
ASCP | American Society for Clinical Pathology | Phlebotomy Technician | PBT(ASCP) | |
ASPT | American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT(ASPT) | |
IAPA | ||||
NCA | National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel | CLPlb(NCA) | ||
NCCT/MMCI | National Center for Competency Testing | National Certified Phlebotomy Technician | NCPT(NCCT) | |
NHA | National Healthcareer Association | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT(NHA) | |
NAHP | National Association for Health Professionals | National Registered Certified Phlebotomy Technician | NRCPT(NAHP) | |
NPA | National Phlebotomy Association | Certified Phlebotomy Technician | CPT(NPA) |