What are legal issues in phlebotomy?

Answer

Your usually covered under the liability insurance of the entity your working for. They are allowed cheaper liability insurance premiums if they have workers that are certified, so you have a license. You can be sued yourself which is why its important to find out the whole story with your employer or just take out som personal liability insurance to cover yourself.

Actually the legal issues in Phlebotomy are:

• Negligence
  

Most cases that I have found involve the Phlebotomist not following general Phlebotomy procedures.

Some cases:

• Leaving the tourniquet on and leaving room to make a phone call, which caused the arm to swell and change colour.
• Severe Nerve damage
• Incorrect choice of veins causing numbness in the arm.
• Failure to notice that a patient was feeling unwell which resulted in the patient fainting and fracturing her face.
  
• Phlebotomist attempted to take blood from a woman 3 times each time missing, on the third attempt the woman developed a haematoma resulting in the arm being out of use for a year. The woman was awarded 1 million dollars.
• Permanent nerve injury from a haematoma from a phlebotomist that was rushing.
  

Most cases were settled through binding arbitration, however some cases went to the state supreme court. It's important to understand taht you can give someone perment damge when preforming phlebotomy and to take care and to take your time is important.

Goddess34