Phlebotomy in Practice: Evaluating the Impact of Timetabled Clinics on Medical Student Venepuncture Skills

Background Venepuncture is included among the list of clinical skill competencies in the current General Medical Council (GMC) outcomes for medical graduates. Traditionally, medical students learn venepuncture skills in simulation first, followed by practice in clinical environments. However, clinical practice depends largely on available opportunities such as ward and clinic time. Aim This study aims to identify the impact of a scheduled phlebotomy clinic on the confidence levels of medical students in performing venepuncture and the reduction in the level of future supervision needed to perform the skill on the wards. Methods A questionnaire was sent to 41 medical students, 11 of whom attended the phlebotomy clinic. The questionnaire consisted of Likert scales, multiple-choice questions and free-text questions to assess their confidence levels in venepuncture. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for quantitative statistical analysis, and thematic analysis was implemented to assess qualitative data. Results Students' confidence in performing venepuncture increased after attending the phlebotomy clinic (95% CI: 0.672 to 0.973, p<0.0005). Confidence in performing venepuncture unsupervised was higher in those who attended the clinic, compared to those who did not attend (95% CI: 0.165 to 0.509, p<0.0292). The key theme that emerged from the comparison group was that students wanted more opportunities to practise venepuncture skills on real patients. Conclusion Our study shows that having the opportunity to attend a phlebotomy clinic can positively impact the self-reported confidence levels of students when performing venepuncture. The students expressed that they would like more opportunities to practise venepuncture in the clinical environment, especially on patients and whilst supervised. Therefore, implementing regular phlebotomy clinics in their placement could be a huge benefit to medical students.