What Is a Phlebotomist?

A phlebotomist is a person responsible for drawing blood from patients for lab tests, transfusions, or donation. Phlebotomists are trained to collect blood via venipuncture (when a needle is used to draw blood from a vein), finger pricks, or in the case of infants, heel pricks.Phlebotomists typically work in hospitals, medical offices, clinics, diagnostic laboratories, and blood donation centers. Though other medical personnel, such as nurses or medical assistants, might draw blood, phlebotomists specialize in doing so.Phlebotomists don't treat patients, but they do work closely with them. Depending on where they work, phlebotomists may see a specific age group more than any other. But they're trained to draw blood from babies, children, adults, and elderly patients on a daily basis.