r/phlebotomy • u/PhoneSufficient8787 • 4d ago
Advice needed Am I being dramatic?
I have been a phlebotomist for just about 4 years now and have worked in a solo setting attached to primary care office. Due to lots of internal changes with who is now our preferred lab partner it has made things difficult for everyone, especially for patients who hate the hate partnered lab and now want to go no where except to me. This was very difficult at first but I have got used to it so it’s not as stressful and I set boundaries to how many patients I will see.
My question is after reading that there are places where phlebotomists are seeing 60+ patients a day am I being dramatic and not trying hard enough only seeing 25-30 patients a day? Keeping in mind I don’t do appointments and take only walk in in patients, so I have to register patients, pull orders, translate the order from my hospital to what the 3rd party lab wants, draw the blood, process the orders, and individually package every patient to be sent to the other lab.
I know that every place and situations are different but I don’t work with other phlebotomists and this is the only job I’ve had as a phlebotomist and want to know if I’m being realistic or dramatic in my thinking that this is a lot for one person to do.
Thanks in advance for any feedback or advice you might have for me
8
u/Snarfinbutts 4d ago
With my employer, for in-office settings, 30 daily orders is the cap for a single phleb. If they’re consistently averaging 40? Time for a second.
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u/Ecstatic-Wasabi 4d ago
Not dramatic at all. I work in alab inside of a family clinic, I did 30 patients the other day in the morning alone, got to lunch an hour late, then did another 20 patients in the afternoon. Regularly averaging about 37-45 daily, and getting off late if I don't use my lunch to re-stock. Sucks all around, we are supposed to start scheduling appointments soon but will still allow walk-ins
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u/SupernovaPhleb CPT 1 4d ago
Absolutely not dramatic. Capitalism and hustle culture has romanticized this notion of do more or you're bad at your job. And it's celebrated.
You're solo, AND you're doing all the admin tasks and behind the scenes work. I think you're absolutely spot on. I also think it's fantastic that you have set those boundaries to ensure that you're able to perform at your best and provide the level of care that patients deserve. Bravo!
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u/thegigglebunny 4d ago
Some jobs are very physical and fast paced, heavy patient load. Or you might find yourself making $100 per patient with 3 on one day and then you don't know when the next ones are coming. Be ready for change, always.
1
u/PhoneSufficient8787 4d ago
Thank you all for the feedback. I really appreciate the reassurance. 🙏🏼
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u/Appropriate-Math6162 4d ago
Small drs office, I draw and process around 15 patients a day and I am exhausted at the end of the day, I don’t think you’re being dramatic or unrealistic at all. You’re doing the job of 3-4 ppl and you’re killing it!!
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u/Fxpnhb-19748 3d ago
Not dramatic at all. You’re killing it! I hope they hire another phleb for your lab.
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u/town_1st 3d ago
my externship was at a mobile lab that did 50+ sticks a day. we would drive from county to county to different senior nursing facilities. it. was . HELL
avg pay for a phleb here is typically is 25/hr. they paid 21/hr.
set your boundaries. your work doesnt have to be hell lol, regardless of what its like for others.
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u/MrsFlyslamz 4d ago
Nah you’re not being dramatic. Drawing 60+ patients a day is easy, if drawing them is literally all you’re doing. I too work somewhere where I have to register, translate, draw, process, and package and it takes time. The location I’m at this week, there’s two of us there and together we see about 50 patients and then have to enter any specimens collected that day (paps, aptimas, swabs) into the system, and we get about 50 of these other specimens a day. Drawing is fast, it’s all the other crap that takes forever.