Article Overview:

Iatrogenic anemia is defined as a low number of red blood cells, usually caused by excessive blood drawn from the patient. It is a phlebotomist’s duty to track the quantities of blood drawn to avoid this anemia. Phlebotomists should skillfully collect the minimum quantities of blood required for testing while not exceeding the limits of the patient’s total blood volume. This article discusses the accurate amount of blood to draw from adults, infants, and neonates.

Learning Objectives:

• Recall the total blood volume formula.
• Define average blood volumes.
• Identify methods of preventing iatrogenic anemia.