Join to apply for the Paediatric Phlebotomist role at Walsall Council.
Overview
The Paediatric Phlebotomist role involves performing venepuncture techniques to obtain blood from children and young people aged 0-16 years as directed by referral from GPs, Consultants, Nursing staff and other appropriate agencies. The post holder will carry out phlebotomy (blood sample collection) and simple tests and procedures within the Paediatric Outpatients department, and will work with the nursing and medical team in the Children\'s Outpatients Department to deliver a positive phlebotomy service for our patients. The post holder will be appropriately trained and required to provide phlebotomy on patients within the paediatric service, predominantly in Children Outpatients Department. You will need to possess excellent communication skills to enable effective communication with our service users and their families, and you will be expected to be familiar with and able to use distraction techniques to help reduce anxiety for our patients accessing the phlebotomy service. The successful post holder will need to have an awareness of all relevant trust policies and procedures and will be responsible for ensuring their own compliance with trust mandatory training. It is essential that the post holder has the ability to recognise and summon help in emergencies. Post holder will be required to undertake paediatric life support training.
Responsibilities
* To perform venepuncture techniques to obtain blood from children and young people aged 0-16 years as directed by referral from GPs, Consultants, Nursing staff and other appropriate agencies.
* The post holder will be expected to carry out phlebotomy (blood sample collection) and simple tests and procedures within the Paediatric Outpatients department.
* The Post Holder will work alongside the nursing and medical team in the Children\'s Outpatients Department to deliver a positive phlebotomy service for our patients.
* The post holder will be appropriately trained and required to provide phlebotomy on patients within the paediatric service, predominantly in Children Outpatients Department. You will need to possess excellent communication skills to enable effective communication with our service users and their families. You will be expected to be familiar with and able to use distraction techniques to help reduce anxiety for our patients accessing the phlebotomy service. The successful post holder will need to have an awareness of all relevant trust policies and procedures and will be responsible for ensuring their own compliance with trust mandatory training. It is essential that the post holder has the ability to recognise and summon help in emergencies. Post holder will be required to undertake paediatric life support training.
* To be responsible for the safe use of equipment, ensuring compliance with infection control and health and safety guidelines to reduce risk of infection to patient and staff.
* To have the ability to select the most favourable site for venepuncture and to competently perform the procedure, being sensitive to the emotional needs of the children and parents.
* To be familiar with and able to use distraction techniques and play to help reduce anxiety for the child and maximise potential for successful venepuncture.
* To have an awareness of the risk involved with this invasive procedure, and the ability to offer advice on aftercare, if required.
* To correctly identify patients and to label blood samples from them safely and accurately in line with Trust policy.
* To understand the different collection bottles and the correct order when collecting more than one sample, ensuring the correct form is completed.
* To ensure that samples meet acceptance criteria in line with Trust policy.
* To understand the special requirements when collecting specific bloods such as bloods for genetic testing and fasting sugars.
* To have an understanding of the transportation of samples to collection points in accordance with Health & Safety procedures.
* To provide and receive sensitive information from Child, young person and their parent or carers where a high degree of people skills is necessary. This may include dealing with distressed or aggressive patients.
* As part of phlebotomy duties, interprets complex clinical and scientific terminology.
* To carry out simple duties as directed by senior staff. Appropriate training will be given, and all work will be supervised.
* Displays and maintains an appropriate level of IT skills.
* To take responsibility for facilitating the performance of Special laboratory tests that are requested on patients attending the Paediatric outpatients. The term Special tests encompasses such tests as Xylose tolerance tests, Glucose tolerance tests, etc.
* The post holder will carry out or arrange the performance of the above tests according to standardised operating procedures and protocols.
* The post holder will liaise with clerical staff concerning advanced appointments for these Special tests as necessary.
* Is aware of the inherent hazards of the work and always takes appropriate precautions reporting to the Head Biomedical Scientist or Safety Officer any accident or potential hazards.
* Is fully conversant with relevant departmental policies and Standard Operating Procedures.
* To always monitor and maintain stock levels.
* A knowledge of infection control and the disposal of equipment in accordance with Health & Safety procedures. Use of needle safe devices in accordance with the Trust policy and guidelines.
* Awareness of all relevant Trust policies and procedures.
* Maintains a clean and safe working environment through good housekeeping practices. This may include decontamination processes.
* Complies with the requirement to practice within data protection and confidentiality guidelines.
* Works to ensure that departmental performance targets are met by continually assessing priority of work.
* Attends departmental and Trust-wide staff meetings as appropriate.
* Participate in research, clinical audit, benchmarking and clinical trials in order to improve effectiveness of patient care.
* Promote patient and public involvement leading to service improvement.
* Demonstrate phlebotomy procedure and mentor new staff and other health care workers.
* Participate in induction programmes for associated nursing team, students and staff in partner agencies.
* Ensure own compliance with trust mandatory training.
* Ability to recognise and summon help in emergencies. Is aware of basic life support procedures, e.g. in the event of fainting patients, and is aware of basic CPR procedures.
Qualifications/Requirements
* Excellent communication skills to enable effective communication with service users and their families; ability to use distraction techniques to help reduce anxiety.
* Awareness of all relevant Trust policies and procedures; commitment to mandatory training.
* Ability to recognise and summon help in emergencies; willingness to undertake paediatric life support training.
* Understanding of infection control, health and safety guidelines, safe use of equipment, and correct handling and labelling of blood samples; IT skills.
* Understanding of handling and transportation of samples and knowledge of tests (e.g., genetic testing, fasting sugars).
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