If you haven't seen the Center for Phlebotomy Education's A Video Tribute to Phlebotomists, this month is the perfect time.

As the industry celebrates National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week April 22-28, laboratories far and wide will share the video with their preanalytic staff in recognition of their unique contribution to healthcare.

"Phlebotomists are the most under-appreciated professional in healthcare," says Center for Phlebotomy Education's Director Dennis J. Ernst MT(ASCP), NCPT(NCCT). "This video intends to change perceptions." The tribute video defines the profession as one that requires significant technical expertise and a grasp of preanalytical science that most don't appreciate.

"Without phlebotomists, healthcare cannot function," says Ernst, who narrates the seven-minute video. "Lab results obtained from the samples they draw are used to orchestrate the activities of nearly every healthcare professional involved with every patient they draw.

Since its release in 2016, the video has been viewed thousands of times in laboratories around the worlds. 

The video can be viewed on the video page of the Center's web site and YouTube channel.