Blood is the elixir of life. With every beat of the heart, blood circulates through the vessels of the body bringing the cells life-sustaining oxygen, nutrients, and hormones while removing waste products that can be toxic. This process continues second after second, minute after minute, day after day throughout life.

Phlebotomy is the collection of blood, which is done to assess person s state of health, diagnose pathology, treat certain hematologic diseases, and for the collection of blood products like plasma. It can be performed by many healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, phlebotomists, and other providers.

Venipuncture is more than just putting a needle into a patient s arm and drawing blood. Many clients are adults who are in good health, have visible veins, and are unafraid of the procedure to have their blood sample obtained for testing. However, that is not always the case.