Jul 11, 2025  
2025-2026 Catalog SVC 
    
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2025-2026 Addendum SVC
2025-2026 Catalog SVC

AHE 113 - Introduction to Phlebotomy

Credits: 4
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 22
Lab Hours: 33
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

Course Description: Review government regulations concerning blood products. Perform venipunctures and capillary punctures. Perform selected blood tests. Discussion of cultural/religious beliefs concerning blood products.

Prerequisite: AHE 108 with a C or higher; and concurrent enrollment in AHE 114. Instructor permission required.
Strongly Recommended:
Special Requirements: Must provide documentation of first two injections of Hepatitis B vaccination series prior to registering for class.

Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes
  1. Using appropriate vocabulary, distinguish between whole blood, plasma, and serum.
  2. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of obtaining blood specimens by capillary puncture or venipuncture.
  3. State when capillary or venipuncture is the preferred method to obtain a specimen.
  4. Discuss and identify the proper equipment and supplies to use to secure a particular blood specimen.
  5. List the body sites to use and body sites to avoid when obtaining a blood specimen for testing.
  6. List several adverse reactions a patient may experience when having blood drawn and how to respond to each.
  7. Identify the use of different vacuum blood collection tubes by tube top color. Discuss how a blood specimen should be handled after collection.
  8. Explain the difference between a vacuum collection tube with an additive and a vacuum collection tube without an additive.
  9. List the general order of draw when more than one tube of blood is to be obtained for different blood tests.
  10. List at least five blood tests that requires that the patient be in a fasting state before having a blood sample drawn for testing.
  11. Discuss patient preparation for selected blood tests.
  12. Discuss, on a general basis, the formation and composition of blood.
  13. Relate the anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system to obtaining blood specimens.
  14. Describe venipuncture and capillary puncture procedures.
  15. Explain the purpose of universal precautions.
  16. Define and explain the purpose of CLIA, OSHA, and WISHA.
  17. Perform a capillary puncture.
  18. Perform a venipuncture using a vacutainer or a syringe.
  19. Demonstrate the correct method for obtaining multiple blood samples using the vacutainer holder and evacuated blood collection tubes.

Course Contents
  1. Presentation of the human circulatory system. Presentation of the human vascular system.
  2. Review of universal precautions. Demonstration and practice of aseptic technique.
  3. Demonstration and practice of the preparation and aftercare of patients.
  4. Discussion of the proper equipment and supplies to use to secure a particular blood specimen.
  5. Preservation and/or transport of blood specimens.
  6. Demonstration and practice of venipuncture technique using multiple equipment types.
  7. Demonstration and practice of capillary puncture technique.


Instructional Units: 4.25