Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology

Phlebotomy Technician (PBT) Program

The Hennepin County Medical Center Phlebotomy Technician Program is a twelve-week clinical experience with coursework in medical terminology, quality assurance and legal concerns, safety and infection control, specimen processing, point-of-care testing, anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system, and venipuncture, arterial puncture, and skin puncture techniques. Students are also introduced to the healthcare environment, other healthcare professionals, and use of the electronic medical record. Lectures, laboratory demonstrations and experiences, and technical evaluation are utilized for the learning process.  The academic portion of the program exceeds the required 40 clock hours.

After initial experience with artificial phlebotomy practice blocks, students receive individualized instruction as they learn and work with clinical instructors. The first few weeks are concentrated in the outpatient setting. During weeks five through twelve they spend at least four hours per day drawing in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. The inpatient experience includes intensive care units, burn unit, pediatrics and newborn units in a very busy Level I Trauma Center. The clinical experience is documented to exceed the required 100 clock hours and the required 100 successful unaided collections.

This course is currently offered twice each year, once beginning in January and once beginning in September. General hours for the internship are 7:00 am until 3:30 pm Monday through Friday. Several earlier shifts (starting between 4:00 am and 6:00 am) will be required to ensure appropriate experience. These shifts will be scheduled with each student.

There will not be class on the following major holidays if they occur during a course: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day, and Christmas Day.

At the completion of the program, graduates receive a certificate from the medical center and are eligible to take the national certification examination of the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification.

The Hennepin County Medical Center Phlebotomy Technician Program is licensed as a private career school with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, sections 141.21 to 141.32. Licensure is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.

Minnesota Office of Higher Education

1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350

St Paul, MN 55108-5227

Mission of the Phlebotomy Technician Program

Reflecting the missions of HCMC and the clinical laboratories, the mission of the PBT Program is to educate phlebotomy technician students such that they successfully complete the program and subsequently pass a certification exam. The program teaches students to be responsible for their learning, to work as a team, to be problem solvers, to develop critical thinking skills and communication skills. The program seeks and uses constructive criticism from current and past students and from laboratory staff to continually improve the content, teaching methods, case studies, and evaluation systems of our program. The program monitors the time and money spent teaching and conducts our program as efficiently as possible. The program provides our teaching staff with the tools they need, including continuing education opportunities, and creatively provides as much time as possible for teaching and preparation.

Goals of the Phlebotomy Technician Program

The PBT Program will:

• Provide high-quality instruction that will produce a PBT who is competent in the theory and practice of phlebotomy.
• Provide the environment necessary to enable each student to develop and demonstrate professionalism and concern for the patient in the daily practice of phlebotomy.
• Provide a curriculum that will enable each student to:
• Acquire and develop competence in the technical skills and theory necessary for the performance of phlebotomy
• Participate in clinical experiences that will fulfill requirements in the following areas:
• Phlebotomy
• Specimen collection and processing
• Point-of-Care testing
• Pass one or more national board certification examinations.
• Function effectively as a responsible PBT upon completion of the program.
• Provide instructors who are well qualified and motivated.
• Develop and use valid testing and evaluation mechanisms.
• Employ a variety of instructional methods and materials.

Admission Requirements

To qualify for entrance into HCMC’s Phlebotomy Technician Program, the following is required:

1. High school graduation or equivalent; college courses and related healthcare experience are not required, but preferred (copy of official transcripts required).
2. No transfer credits are accepted. No credit will be granted for any previous training in phlebotomy or related instruction. The entire course must be completed with passing scores to receive a certificate of completion.
3. Students with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (on their most recent transcript) will be considered first.
4. Fluency in English (verbal and written).
5. A completed application form which you may download here. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open this document. The deadline for submitting applications for the course that starts in January is December 1st. The deadline for submitting applications for the course that starts in September is August 1st.
6. At least two letters of recommendation from an academic instructor or employer.
7. A brief biographical sketch including a statement of interest in the program.
8. Proof of immune status for the following:
• Rubeola (measles)
• Rubella (German measles)
• Varicella zoster (Chickenpox)
• Hepatitis B virus (highly recommended)
9. Documentation of a negative Tuberculosis screening within six months before start of program.
10. A student must be able to satisfy the Technical Standards based on existing skills and abilities, or through use of corrective devices. A copy of the Technical Standards is included with the application form.
11. At least 18 years of age or older.
12. All application materials must be completed and received by the specified deadline.
13. All students who meet the requirements for admission and have completed the application process will be considered for admission to the program.
14. Qualified applicants will be contacted by the Program Director for an interview appointment. The interviews will be conducted by the Program Director and one faculty member.
15. Individuals selected for admission to the program will be notified after completion of the selection process. All applicants will be notified of acceptance or rejection in writing.

Information for Applicants

1. The course runs Monday through Friday, 8 hours per day, for twelve weeks. The general hours are 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, with several days starting between 4:00 and 6:00 am.
2. Expenses include tuition of $1500 and the purchase of a textbook for approximately $90.00. A minimum of $200 is due the first day of the course with the balance due by graduation. The refund/cancel policy can be found in full here.
3. Students are strongly encouraged to take a national certification exam after completion of the program (but it is not a requirement for the program completion certificate).
4. Students are required to maintain passing scores of at least 70% on exams and evaluations.
5. A student may be placed on probation or dismissed for academic reasons or for violation of HCMC rules or policies. The program manual defines these policies, processes, and grievance procedures.
6. A Background Study is required and will be performed on all students at HCMC. If the Background Study indicates that that the student is disqualified from having direct patient contact, the student will be dismissed from the program (as required by Minnesota state law).

Benefits of the HCMC Phlebotomy Technician Program

• HCMC is a busy Level I Trauma Center.
• The patient population is diverse providing a wide variety of experiences in phlebotomy.
• The laboratory staff is dedicated to teaching phlebotomy technician students how important the proper collection of specimens is to the quality of lab results. Since laboratory results contribute 70% of the information required for patient diagnosis and treatment, correct specimen collection is vitally important.

Questions?

Primary Contact:

Robbi Montgomery, MLS, MLS(ASCP)CM, SI(ASCP)

Program Director

612-873-3022

roberta.montgomery@hcmed.org

Karen Nelson, MT(ASCP)

Clinical Coordinator, Phlebotomy Team Lead

612-873-7446

karen.nelson@hcmed.org

Mailing Address:

Education Program Director
Clinical Laboratories, Mail Code P4
Hennepin County Medical Center
701 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55415