You may have heard of an iron deficiency. But, having too much iron in the blood can be as dangerous. If you’ve ever been told your iron levels are high, you may want to talk to discuss the possibility of a therapeutic phlebotomy treatment. If you’re looking into a career in phlebotomy, it’s important to know how therapeutic phlebotomy works and how to do it the right way.<\/p>\n
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Do I Need a Therapeutic Phlebotomy Procedure?<\/h2>\n
This guide will cover the ins and outs of therapeutic phlebotomy. You’ll find that many of the actions are the same as getting your blood drawn for anything else. But, there are specific rules and protocols to follow.<\/p>\n
Phlebotomists need to know the differences between a regular blood draw and therapeutic phlebotomy. We will cover what you should know about performing it, as well as what side effects your patients might experience because of the procedure.<\/p>\n
What Are the Reasons for Therapeutic Phlebotomy?<\/h3>\n
Therapeutic phlebotomy can be a life-saving treatment for patients with too much iron in their blood. This is a condition called hemochromatosis<\/strong><\/a>. Your body needs a certain amount of iron. It’s used to make hemoglobin, which oxygenates your cells. But, like anything else, there can be too much of a ‘good thing’ when it comes to iron in the blood.<\/p>\n When you have too much iron in your blood, it can cause damage to your heart or liver. It can lead to diseases like diabetes or arthritis. These are severe conditions that should be looked at and treated as soon as possible.<\/p>\n So, how can you tell if you might have too much iron in your blood? If you get regular blood tests or yearly checkups, your doctor should be able to notice elevated iron levels and recommend treatment.<\/p>\n But, other symptoms include things like:<\/p>\n As you can see, some of these symptoms can be quite serious and scary. If you’re experiencing any of them, it’s important to get your blood tested right away. There are other conditions that therapeutic phlebotomy is used for as well.<\/p>\n Hough hemochromatosis is the most common, others include:<\/p>\n It’s important to understand that for many of these conditions, there is no cure. Whether a doctor offers several types of treatment or just one, therapeutic phlebotomy isn’t designed to cure a blood disorder completely. Some people have to go through the procedure many times in their life.<\/p>\n It’s used as more of a management tool. It can help to ease painful symptoms or allow someone to live a normal life. For most people, it isn’t a quick fix or one-time solution.<\/p>\n If you’re someone who regularly donates blood, you might think you don’t need something like therapeutic phlebotomy. But, if you have one of the conditions above, the designated time between blood donation draws is too long. The least amount of time between draws is 56 days by a community blood bank. For someone with too much iron in their blood or another condition, symptoms can become severe during that time.<\/p>\n A prescription is needed from a physician to take part in therapeutic blood drawing. This is because it needs to happen more frequently than what a typical blood donation draw would be. The physician will do everything from recommending how often the blood should be drawn to how much of it should be taken each time.<\/p>\n Therapeutic phlebotomy protocol needs to be followed by whoever is drawing the blood. They need to get consent from the patient, and they need to follow the direct orders from the physician. This type of phlebotomy can be done for a patient until their doctor has seen that the levels of iron in their body have balanced out. Once that ‘goal’ is achieved, most patients can maintain healthy iron levels by donating blood regularly<\/strong><\/a> at local blood banks.<\/p>\n Guidelines can differ based on where a patient goes for this procedure. Most blood banks have a similar protocol and rules that phlebotomists need to follow.<\/p>\n These typically include:<\/p>\n If you have hemochromatosis, you might wonder if your blood is viable for use. The good news is that there is no reason your blood can’t be used to help save lives. Hemochromatosis is not considered a blood disorder. Instead, it’s a metabolic disorder.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, many hospitals and clinics across the country discard the blood drawn for therapeutic purposes. It can still help to save your life and keep you healthy by getting it drawn. But, you won’t be able to donate it to someone else. If you’re a phlebotomist who works in a hospital like this, making sure you follow the standard safety procedures for discarding blood is essential.<\/p>\n If you’re a phlebotomist who wants to work for a community blood center, you may be able to help someone with too much iron donate their blood to others. Many blood banks across the country do this. Each one varies on what they allow. So, whether you’re a donor or the person drawing the blood, choose a location that fits with your personal needs and ethics.<\/p>\n [\/su_list]<\/p>\n Many of the steps to performing therapeutic phlebotomy are just like a standard blood draw. First, the amount of blood taken is usually a lot more than what is taken for a lab sample. Second, the needle for therapeutic phlebotomy is typically a little larger. This keeps the red blood cells from becoming damaged as the blood is drawn.<\/p>\n Other than those two significant differences, the steps are as follows:<\/p>\n Blood needs to be collected in a transfer pack at a rate that’s comfortable for a patient. To get a pint of blood, this usually takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes. For some patients, it can take longer. It’s important to check on the patient while the blood is being transferred to make sure it’s not flowing at a rate that is too quick for them.<\/p>\n Children can have the same medical conditions as adults, including the ones that therapeutic phlebotomy can help to treat. Many children’s hospitals and regular hospitals treat children who have too much iron in their blood. Or, they may have other conditions that need it.<\/p>\n As with any physician, a child’s doctor will have to determine the amount of blood that should be drawn. Therapeutic phlebotomy for a child may take longer because their blood shouldn’t be drawn as quickly. It can take an hour or two for some children.<\/p>\n When it comes to therapeutic phlebotomy for children, it’s not unlikely for a physician or specialist to be with the parents and child while the blood draw is taking place. Most children’s hospitals offer this ‘service.’ It tends to ease the discomforts of the parents and child. The physician can answer questions and put everyone’s mind at ease by making sure the entire procedure is going smoothly.<\/p>\n The procedure can regularly be performed as prescribed by the child’s doctor. It may be a procedure that needs to happen for years for the child to live normally.<\/p>\n [su_list icon=”icon: check-circle”]<\/p>\n For the most part, therapeutic phlebotomy is entirely safe. Most of the risks involve a\u00a0user-error. As a phlebotomist, it’s important to understand those risks. You are taking responsibility for someone’s well-being with every blood draw.<\/p>\n Aside from the risks associated with phlebotomy, some patients may experience some of the following side effects:<\/p>\n Many of the side effects are just like what someone might experience after donating blood. Many times, some of these side effects can be lessened or avoided by treating your patients the same way as you would for a blood donation. This includes making sure they’ve eaten something beforehand and are adequately hydrated.<\/p>\n Some patients will feel better if they have something to snack on during or after the procedure, too. It’s vital that they stay hydrated, as well. These simple measures can help most patients avoid things like dizziness or even fainting spells due to a loss of blood.<\/p>\n For some people, a saline solution is pumped into the body to replace the fluid that’s coming out. This is an especially common practice for children who undergo therapeutic phlebotomy.<\/p>\n Aside from helping with high levels of iron and helping to balance out other conditions of the blood, there are many benefits. Keep in mind that this type of phlebotomy is different from donating blood. Donating blood can be hugely beneficial to you, and others! But, therapeutic phlebotomy is something that requires a prescription.<\/p>\n If you’re a candidate for that kind of prescription, you can experience some of the following benefits:<\/p>\n Of course, these benefits are bonuses to why therapeutic phlebotomy is good for you. The most important thing is making sure a blood condition doesn\u2019t take over or ruin your life. Getting blood regularly drawn via a doctor’s request can prevent that from happening and give you the benefits listed here, too.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/p>\nTherapeutic Phlebotomy Guidelines<\/h3>\n
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Can Someone with Too Much Iron Donate Blood?<\/h3>\n
How to Perform Therapeutic Phlebotomy<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nCan Children Be Treated with Therapeutic Phlebotomy?<\/h3>\n
What Are the Possible Side Effects?<\/h3>\n
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What Are the Other Benefits of Therapeutic Phlebotomy?<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nIs Extra Training Required to Perform Therapeutic Phlebotomy?<\/h3>\n