Healthcare professionals require the performance of essential functions in order to provide safe care, generate accurate data and communicate effectively to patients and other health care personnel. To effectively train phlebotomy professionals, the performance of these functions is incorporated throughout the program. Faculty and students are required to demonstrate proficiency of these functions in the campus lab and clinical practicum. The essential functions include:
- Critical Thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment. For example, students must be able to identify cause-effect relationships in clinical situations; research and analyze data to aid in problem-solving; and, read and comprehend text, numbers and graphs displayed in print and on a video monitor.
- Interpersonal Skills sufficient to interact with individuals, families, groups, etc. from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds. For example, students must establish rapport with patients and healthcare team members.
- Communication Skills sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form. For example, students will explain specimen collection procedures and communicate with faculty members, fellow students, staff and other healthcare professionals verbally and in a recorded format (writing, typing, graphics and telecommunication).
- Mobility sufficient to move from room to room and maneuver in small spaces and stand and walk for extensive periods of time. For example, move around in a patient’s room, reach patients lying in a hospital bed and move close to benchtop clinical instruments such as a microscope.
- Motor Skills sufficient to perform test procedures accurately. For example, students will make fine adjustments to hand-held objects, handle contaminated needles safely and move 20-pound instruments from one area to another.
- Hearing Ability sufficient to monitor equipment and access health needs. For example, students will hear monitor alarms, public address pages and cries for help.
- Visual Ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in the performance of laboratory procedures. For example, students will observe specimen reaction colors and turbidity, as well as observe patient responses.
- Tactile Ability sufficient for collecting blood specimens. For example, students will palpate the skin.
- Weight-bearing Ability to lift and manipulate/move a 20-instrument or box of supplies from one area to another.
- Cognitive Ability to be oriented to time, place, and person as well as organize responsibilities and make decisions. For example, students will organize and prioritize routine and emergency analyses.
Southeastern Community College is an ADA-compliant institution. The college does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to its programs, services or activities for qualified individuals who meet essential eligibility requirements. The college will provide reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities of individuals who are eligible to receive or participate in college programs, services or activities.
Student Development Services provides a disability counselor to assist students in requesting disability-related accommodations. If a student believes that he/she cannot meet one or more of the essential functions without accommodations, the student should make this requirement known to the ADA counselor as soon as possible.
Students must certify the ability to meet essential functions of the profession by a signed statement in the beginning of the program.
