Final answer:
The phlebotomist is mainly involved during the blood collection stage. They perform venipuncture, capillary sticks, and arterial sticks to collect blood from patients.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phlebotomist is mainly involved during the blood collection stage. They are responsible for drawing blood from patients using various methods such as venipuncture, capillary sticks, and arterial sticks. During a venipuncture, the phlebotomist uses a needle to puncture a surface vein in the arm and collect a larger quantity of blood. This method is typically used when more than a few drops of blood are required.
On the other hand, a capillary stick is performed on a finger, earlobe, or the heel of an infant when only a small quantity of blood is needed. An arterial stick is collected from an artery and used to analyze blood gases.
After the blood is collected, it may be sent to medical laboratories for analysis or used for transfusions, donations, or research.