General procedure of phlebotomy: a review.

Phlebotomy – the drawing of blood – has been practiced for centuries and is still one of the most common invasive procedures in health care. However, practice varies considerably between countries and between institutions and individuals within the same country. By its nature, phlebotomy has the potential to expose health workers and patients to blood from other people, putting them at risk from blood borne pathogens. These pathogens include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and dengue. If a blood sample is poorly collected, the results may be inaccurate and misleading to the clinician and the patient may have to undergo the inconvenience of repeat testing.