title: Phlebotomy Cycle Time Related to Phlebotomist Experience and/or Hospital Location.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little information is available regarding expected phlebotomy cycle time (total time needed to draw a blood specimen) in inpatient settings. Examining this variable in 4 hospitals in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, we determined the distribution of phlebotomy cycle times and compared this by hospital and by phlebotomist experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April 2014 and August 2014, we observed phlebotomy timing at 4 adult acute care hospital locations. Phlebotomists were stratified into 3 experience levels: 0 to 2 years, 2 to 5 years, and more than 5 years. We observed a total of 110 different phlebotomists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed no statistical difference between experience levels (P = .07) or hospital location (P = .44) on mean phlebotomy cycle time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean (SD) phlebotomy cycle time was 259 (52) seconds per patient for normal phlebotomy procedures. If expected minimum and maximum phlebotomy times are defined as mean +/- 2 SD, the expected cycle time range is 196 to 404 seconds.
authors.affiliation: Peter Lougheed Centre, Calgary Laboratory Services and.
authors.forename: Karie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Peter Lougheed Centre, Calgary Laboratory Services and.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lemaire
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology and Family Medicine and Calgary Laboratory Services, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada Christopher.Naugler@cls.ab.ca.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Naugler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000416:Alberta; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018962:Phlebotomy / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: laboratory management; laboratory training; phlebotomy; process excellence