Task analysis revisited: refining the phlebotomy technician scope of practice and assessing longitudinal change in...

A random sample of 500 phlebotomy technicians certified by a national organization was queried regarding perceptions of importance of 53 specific practice-related tasks representative of various departmental areas. The sample was surveyed via a mail questionnaire. Role centrality was assessed by considering mean importance ratings and by applying the Rasch measurement model to assigned importance ratings. Approximately 36% of the questionnaires received by respondents were returned. The results revealed which tasks were fundamental to the phlebotomy technician scope of practice. To assess longitudinal change in core duties, task saliency was considered with respect to similar data collected a decade earlier. Task importance may be considered by agencies that educate, credential, or employ phlebotomy technicians in providing current job function descriptions. The longitudinal methodology employed may be applicable to other job roles for which the assessment of change is of interest.