Phlebotomy Certificate

Academy of Health Professions

Lowell Campus

Program Description:

The Phlebotomy Certificate program in the Academy of Health Professions enables the student to build the skills necessary to work in hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices, nursing homes, research settings, and reference labs as a phlebotomist. The student will be trained to perform a variety of blood-collection methods, using proper techniques and precautions including: vacuum-collection devices, syringes, capillary skin puncture, butterfly needles, and blood culture specimen collection on adults, children and infants.

Emphasis will be placed on infection prevention, proper patient identification, proper labeling of specimens, and quality assurance. Students will be taught specimen handling, processing and accessioning, as well as the essentials of OSHA Safety Control procedures and regulations. Topics include professionalism, ethics and medical terminology. After completion of the program, students will be eligible to sit for a national certification exam.

Career and Transfer Outlook:

Graduates of the Phlebotomy Certificate program are prepared to assume entry-level employment as phlebotomists. Students may find career opportunities in long-term care facilities, hospitals, clinics, or group or individual physician’s offices. Graduates will be able to move up the career ladder by taking additional college-level courses and meet requirements for other certificates or associate degrees in a health career.

Program Outcomes:

Graduates of the Phlebotomist Certificate program are prepared to:

Perform the responsibilities and duties of the phlebotomist/ECG technologist in a variety of health care environments;
Exhibit proficiency in collecting, transporting handling, and processing blood specimens for analysis while adhering to infection control, and safety policies and procedures;
Perform electrocardiograms without supervision;
Demonstrate professional and ethical work habits as they apply to health care environments; exhibit excellent interpersonal and communication skills with patients, peers and health care personnel and the public;
Possess the necessary skills in employment readiness to become employed as a phlebotomist/ECG technologist.

Required Courses

Total Credits: 16

Program Specifics:

All classes and labs are held during on the Lowell Campus at MCC’s Health, Science & Technology Center, located on Middle Street.
A 100-hour externship (off-site) is required and hours will be determined by the Program Director and hosting health care facility. Due to the availability of clinical sites, all externships are scheduled during the day regardless of how the program is offered. Externship hours are scheduled Monday thru Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Courses are offered in a variety of accelerated formats including evenings/ weekends/online. Please contact an admissions representative for detailed class times.
Students are responsible for the purchase of textbooks and scrubs; white sneakers will serve as part of their professional attire during externship locations.
Transportation to and from externships sites is NOT provided.
In order for a student to be eligible to participate in an academic, community or clinical program that involves potential unsupervised contact with children, the disabled, the elderly, or other vulnerable populations, the student may be required to undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check and/or a Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) check.

Clinical Standards:

Students are required to attend all classes and pass clinical labs with 100 percent competency; student must complete 100 hours of an externship, and perform 100 venipunctures to be eligible to sit for the phlebotomists certificate examination.

Standard/Technical Skills Notice:

To view the list of standard and specific skills required to perform duties in the Academy of Health Professions, visit the Middlesex Community College website (www.middlesex.mass.edu/programs) or the Student Information Centers. These skills are not conditions for admission to MCC programs, but do indicate abilities and characteristics necessary for the successful completion of college Health programs, and to perform the duties of the career upon graduation.

Admission Information

Admission Prerequisites: Eligible for ENG 088, or ENG 089, or ENG 092, or above. Eligibility may be demonstrated through the college placement test or previous college coursework.

Requirements After Admission:

Students accepted to Health Programs must be in compliance with the current immunization requirements specified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for Health Care Personnel (HCP) and in accordance with state law, MGL, Chapter 76, Section 15C, and its regulations at 105 CMR 220.700 in order to participate in an externship placement or clinical experience.
Students must submit the Student Health Record form, provided by Middlesex Community College, to the Center for Health & Wellness. Required documentation of health status includes a completed physical examination, a two-step Mantoux (TB/PPD) skin test or blood test (T-Spot or Quantiferon Gold) for tuberculosis, a color deficiency test, proof of immunization against Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hepatitis B, Varicella, and one lifetime dose of TDAP (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Acellular Pertussis - after 2006).
Students must achieve a grade of ”C” (73%) or better in each of the Academy of Health Professions (AHP) courses as well as Medical Terminology to progress in the program.
Students enrolled in the Academy of Health Professions program must demonstrate a satisfactory level of performance in the clinical courses in order to progress in the program.