The differences between certified and non-certified healthcare worker, types of job in blood sampling and handling / Ain Syakirah Mat Zanggi

Collecting and handling of blood sample are the responsibility of phlebotomist and it is the crucial part of pre-analytical process. Error in laboratory testing mainly occurred at pre-analytical process. This might be due to lack of knowledge among phlebotomist regarding the correct practice. In Malaysia, various healthcare workers (HW) perform the task to collect blood from patients. So, this study was designed to evaluate whether there were differences between certified vs uncertified and nurses vs others HW in blood sampling and handling that may affects the laboratory results. Questionnaire distributed to the participant in hardcopy form and collected within 4 weeks and the subject selection was healthcare worker which performed blood sampling and willing to take part. The findings suggest no clinical significant exist between certified and non-certified HW while significant difference exist between type of job in blood sampling in several aspects. Other HW shows more Undesirable Practice (UDP) in check patient wristband, delay in removing tourniquet and labelling the tube and wrong arrangement in filling the tubes compare to nurses. As a conclusion, certified and non-certified healthcare workers gives fairly good practices in phlebotomy except in several aspects, however there is an
apparent differences between types of job in blood sampling and handling.