In the first half of 2024, Auckland-based Ailish Treacy has been busy reshaping the phlebotomy training course which Awanui Labs provides for our staff and external health professionals.
“I started in my role as Phlebotomy Trainer in November last year, which was a new position focusing on training and professional development,” says Ailish.
“The course Awanui was offering is fantastic, but I had the opportunity to evaluate and revamp it starting in March, so it is more interactive for attendees.”
Ailish says Awanui has trained around 40 staff from Turuki Health Care this year and is working with other health providers and organisations across the Northern region.
“People coming to us often have no other formal venepuncture training. So instead of them spending a full day at our Carbine Road training facility on the theory and compliance components, I worked with our Learning and Capability team to create a course to move this material online making it more accessible, easier, and more fun.
“Trainees still complete five patient bleeds for their practical, but having the theory online means they can study at their own pace and at a time and day which suits them.”
Ailish says the practical training involves close supervision from herself or a senior staff member guiding the trainees using our specimen collection guide and this can be done at a collection centre close to where they are working.
“This learning and new phlebotomy skills are taken back to the community health centres, which benefits their teams and patients, and our laboratories get better quality samples and less recollects so it is a win-win for everyone.”
Awanui also provides refresher courses with one-on-one training for our phlebotomists and external health workers coming back to work which gives them confidence, sharpens their skills, and let us them refamiliarise themselves with taking blood and patient care.
“The feedback we have received about the changes to the course has been fantastic. Staff from local centres tell us they are grateful the course is online, and we have made it easy for them to take part,” says Ailish.
“The Patient Services team and I will continue evaluating the course throughout this year, because we always ask for suggestions, and incorporate feedback into what we are doing and how we can improve.
“Awanui is receiving enquires from different health and medical centres both in Auckland and other regions which are interested in having their teams go through the training, and it is great we are providing this support for health staff and patients in our communities,” says Ailish.