MALTA — The Kishwaukee College Phlebotomy Technician Program held a pinning ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 16 on campus.
Six students completed the Phlebotomy Tech program: Candace Carter, Sycamore; Hayley Davis, Rockford; Qing Li, DeKalb; Jessica Marx, DeKalb; Michelle Newtson, DeKalb; and Christine Vicary, Genoa.
Pinning ceremonies are a tradition in healthcare professions, the practice can be traced to recognition of people who provided nursing care as far back as the Crusades. Modern pinning ceremonies were revived and became a common practice after Florence Nightingale began rewarding nursing graduates with the Red Cross of St. George after the Crimean War in the mid-nineteenth century. The tradition has since become a common practice in other healthcare professions.
Instructor for the Phlebotomy Technician Program is Corie Thibeault. Phlebotomist Technicians are healthcare professionals who obtain and prepare specimens for laboratory processing.  Traditionally, Phlebotomist Technicians are associated with drawing and preparing blood in hospitals, clinics, or physician’s offices.
For more information on the Phlebotomy Tech Program, contact Melissa Gallagher, Coordinator of Short Term Training and Continuing Education, at 815-825-9466 or at mgallagher1@kish.edu.