This winter, the Community Colleges of Spokane’s Center for Workforce & Continuing Education (CWCE) launched their first one-day phlebotomy certification for lab technicians and scientists. Staff from MultiCare Rockwood clinics successfully completed and earned their Medical Assistant-Phlebotomist credential through this new class, enabling them to continue their employment at Rockwood clinics around the region.
This program is currently the only course in Washington State that certifies existing Medical Lab Technicians (MLT), Medical Technicians (MT), Lab Technicians (LT), and Medical Lab Scientists (MLS), who have not completed a qualifying phlebotomy program, as Medical Assistant-Phlebotomists (MA-P). The program was designed by the CWCE Health & Medical Division and instructor, Karen Mathison, MLT, as a direct response to the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 18.360.020, which states that “no person may practice as a Medical Assistant-Phlebotomist unless he or she is certified under RCW 18.360.040.” Many lab technicians and scientists perform phlebotomist duties as part of their job duties, and there is a demand to bridge the certification gap in order to remain in compliance with Washington state law.
According to Washington state law, a current MLT, MT, LT and MLS is not licensed to perform stand-alone phlebotomy duties at their place of employment, as their licensure is provided by the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), not the state of Washington.
Local hospitals have a need to certify their lab technicians and scientists to continue their job duties and remain in compliance. By completing this eight-hour program, participants can obtain their Washington State Medical Assistant-Phlebotomist license and legally practice phlebotomy in local hospitals and clinics.
The Phlebotomist Certification course will also assist current phlebotomists who are licensed in other states and relocating to Washington, or have completed programs that are not approved by DOH. Tanya Mills, Credentialing Supervisor for DOH, says that the program will, “help direct people who are having trouble getting licensed because of programs taken out of state that don’t qualify.” These may include the spouses of active duty military personnel stationed in our state as well as other new residents.
The course is scheduled to run multiple times per year, and designed to accommodate the working schedules of attendees. The next class is scheduled for March 26 and 27, 2018, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Spokane Community College. This class is broken into two separate four-hour sessions; however, it is also available in one eight-hour Saturday, as needed.
The Center for Workforce & Continuing Education (CWCE) strives to drive the economic development of the Spokane region by providing lifelong learning opportunities to current and future employees.
For more information, contact: Sandy Saperstein via phone at 509-533-8057 or email at sandy.saperstein@ccs.spokane.edu.