Best Phlebotomy Technician Career Guide in 2023

You may earn significantly more than the minimum wage with a profession in phlebotomy with a minor financial commitment and some effort. The demand for workers in the healthcare industry makes phlebotomy a viable career choice that won’t take you years to finish.

Phlebotomy programs will give you all the information and instruction you require in a short period of time to either start working right away or sit for the required exams for certification and license. Phlebotomy courses are currently being offered at several universities across the country.

What is Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy is the practice of drawing blood from a vein, typically in the arm, using a needle. This crucial procedure, also known as a blood test or venipuncture, is used to identify a wide range of medical issues. Typically, the blood is submitted to a lab for analysis.

What is a Phlebotomy Technician?

A healthcare practitioner with expertise in the collection and processing of blood is known as a phlebotomist. The phlebotomy specialist takes blood samples from patients when they seek medical assistance so that diagnostic tests can be done. In order to donate and conduct research, they also take blood from volunteers at blood drives. Hospitals, medical laboratories, and private offices are the typical workplaces for phlebotomists.

Phlebotomy Technician Jobs Description

The phlebotomist’s job in a medical setting is to make sure the patient is aware of the steps involved in drawing blood samples. Their duties frequently comprise:

• Reducing patients’ and donors’ concerns regarding the process
• Locating a vein into which to place the needle to take blood
• Following the blood draw, cleaning the pressure point
• Obtaining the patient’s or donor’s identification information
• Clearly labeling the blood samples
• Entering patient or donor information into a medical system
• Making sure medical equipment is clean and functional
• Preserving order in their workplace

How To Become a Phlebotomy Technician

Typically, phlebotomists begin the field with a postsecondary non-degree certificate from a phlebotomy program. Nearly every job prefers phlebotomists with professional certification.

Phlebotomy Technician Training and Education

Typically, phlebotomists begin the field with a postsecondary non-degree certificate from a phlebotomy program. Community colleges, vocational institutions, and technical schools all offer programs. Typically, less than a year is needed to finish these programs, which results in a certificate or diploma. Anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology are all covered in the program’s classroom and lab sessions. Additionally, phlebotomists are taught precise methods for identifying, labeling, and tracking blood samples.

Many phlebotomists join the field with a high school diploma and receive on-the-job training.

Phlebotomy Technician Certification

Professionally certified phlebotomists are preferred by almost all businesses.

For phlebotomists, several organizations offer certifications. The National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT provides phlebotomy Technician certifications), National Healthcareer Association (NHA), American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), and American Medical Technologists (AMT).

Candidates for certification often require both clinical experience and some classroom education. The majority of certification exams are written, but they could also involve practical tests like extracting blood. Each certifying organization has different requirements. Phlebotomists in California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington must be certified.

Phlebotomy Technician Program

Professionally certified phlebotomists are preferred by almost all businesses.

Phlebotomy programs give you the knowledge and skills necessary for work in your state. You will learn how to get a blood sample in a secure manner and how to manage blood samples correctly. You will receive instruction in laboratory practices and safety protocols that you will need to know for your phlebotomy career. Additionally, you’ll learn how to interact with patients, allay their concerns, promote relaxation, and minimize their discomfort throughout the procedure.

Phlebotomy Technician Certification Program Cost

Several variables, including whether you’ll be graduating with a diploma or a certificate, will affect how much it will cost to enroll in a phlebotomy program. Additionally, whether you attend a public or private school will have a significant impact on the tuition costs associated with completing your chosen degree.

Diploma costs $2,568 – $26,409 on the average.

Phlebotomy Technician Certification Program Length

The time to finish courses and be job-ready in a phlebotomy program is one of its appealing features. Most of the programs last no longer than a year, and they can finish some in as little as a few months with intensive instruction and training.

Certificate / Diploma

3 to 9 months

Certified Phlebotomy Technician Salary

Phlebotomy specialists make an average yearly wage of $33,907, though your actual earnings will vary on your degree of experience and the organization you work for. A phlebotomist who works at a prestigious hospital in a city with a higher cost of living, for instance, might make more money than a comparable employee who works at a clinic in a small town.

Phlebotomists who have worked in their positions for ten years may also make more money than those who just received their licenses. Consider comparing the pay rates as you apply for phlebotomy jobs to locate a package that meets your demands financially.

There may be numerous employment prospects in this industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that, between 2019 and 2029, employment in the phlebotomy specialized field will grow by 17%. Blood drive crowds and the usage of diagnostic testing by hospitals both support the need for phlebotomists to collect blood.

Phlebotomy Technician Jobs

There may be numerous employment prospects in this industry. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2019 and 2029, employment in the phlebotomy specialized field will grow by 17%. Blood drive crowds and the usage of diagnostic testing by hospitals both support the need for phlebotomists to collect blood.

As your job progresses, you might find that you’re assuming greater responsibility or a leadership position. A phlebotomist can use our career map to define their professional objectives by following the career path. They might begin in a position like certified nursing assistant, move up to registered nurse, and then eventually land in the position of nursing director.

• Registered phlebotomy specialist
• Collections phlebotomy specialist
• Traveling phlebotomist
• Donor phlebotomy technician

Phlebotomy Technician School

1) Moraine Valley Community College – Palos Hills, IL

You have the chance to quickly realize your goal of becoming an entry-level phlebotomist with this certificate program from Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois. The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) standards and suggestions from the college’s Phlebotomy Program Advisory Committee served as the foundation for the program’s development.

Three courses totaling 10 credits are needed to complete the program. Among other topics covered in the coursework include medical jargon, circulatory system anatomy, safety, and legal principles.

2) Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College – Asheville, NC

Your training at AB Tech’s phlebotomy program in North Carolina will equip you to work as a phlebotomist in hospitals, outpatient clinics, doctor’s offices, and donor centers. Every year, the program begins twice, in the fall and spring.

The college accepts applications on a first come, first serve basis and has a maximum of 17 places available per semester. Four days a week will be spent in class, and they will spend three to four days a week doing clinical training at approved locations. Phlebotomy technology is a 6-credit course, interpersonal or general psychology is a 3-credit course, and a 3-credit practicum will help you develop practical abilities.

You must have either obtained your high school diploma, your high school equivalency, or your adult high school diploma in order to apply.

3) Austin Peay State University – Clarksville, TN

At its campus in Clarksville, Tennessee, Austin Peay State University provides non-credit phlebotomy technician training. Two times a year, in January and August, and sporadically in the summer, this program begins (May).

The program’s major objective is to equip participants with the abilities, expertise, and information necessary to efficiently collect blood and other specimens for laboratory testing. You will receive hands-on training in clinical locations in the Clarksville area, including Horizon Medical Center, Centennial Medical Center, Premier Medical, Three Rivers Hospital, and Trigg County Hospital, as part of the curriculum.

4) Cuyahoga Community College – Cleveland, OH

A brief two-semester certificate in Laboratory Phlebotomy is now being offered by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) at its Cleveland, Ohio location. Classes start twice a year in this daytime program (Fall and Spring).

There are only 24 pupils allowed in each lesson. The goal of this program is to provide you with the knowledge and abilities needed to collect blood in a variety of settings at various medical facilities, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, emergency rooms, and blood donation centers. It also includes an eight-week clinical training program in a nearby hospital or health center, where you’ll work with actual patients while being supervised by qualified experts.

The clinical training component, which takes up a total of 32 hours per week, is fairly demanding.

5) Bossier Parish Community College – Bossier City, LA

Bossier Parish Community College’s Certificate of Technical Studies in Phlebotomy program aims to equip you with the skills necessary to function successfully as an entry-level phlebotomy technician under the direction of knowledgeable nurses and clinical laboratory scientists.

You must finish a total of 26 credit hours to graduate from this 1-year program at the BPCC campus in Bossier City, Louisiana. You must successfully complete 13 credit hours of prerequisite coursework in areas including medical terminology, beginning human anatomy and physiology, introduction to phlebotomy, and health care systems and safety before you can enroll in this program.

Computer concepts and PSYC Elective will each count for three credits in your course load.

What Skills of a Phlebotomist Technician

The following abilities may be necessary for you to do the job of a phlebotomist:

Technical Skill

Phlebotomy professionals need good manual dexterity to handle medical equipment securely. To prevent damage, the phlebotomist must make precise movements when inserting the needle into the patient’s vein. They transport the blood into the vial from the catheter with more ease when they work together. Phlebotomists can collect samples quickly and with minor discomfort to the patient or donor by using controlled movements.

Communicationnal Interaction

Before taking the sample, phlebotomy professionals establish a connection with the patient or donor using interpersonal communication skills. The phlebotomist explains the procedure’s goal and potential length to patients who may be apprehensive about needles and blood removal.

For instance, doctors in a hospital are still attempting to ascertain a patient’s medical condition, which necessitates the collection of multiple blood samples for various diagnostic procedures. The patient has had a number of tests, which makes them concerned for their health. However, the phlebotomist assures them that the blood samples would help the doctors treat the patient more effectively. The professional talks to the patient while drawing blood to keep them calm and diverted from the needle.

Organization

The processing of multiple blood samples for various purposes may fall under the purview of phlebotomists, therefore organization and attention to detail are essential. They can send the vials to the correct locations since they are organized. For instance, they might divide the study samples from the samples needed for diagnostics in their workplace.

They can ensure that the tests’ results are accurate for the right patient by paying close attention to detail and applying the proper labels to the appropriate vials. Phlebotomy specialists that are well-organized can also properly manage their time during shifts.

Conclusion

As your job progresses, you might find that you’re assuming greater responsibility or a leadership position. A phlebotomist can use our career map to define their professional objectives by following the career path. As an illustration, they might begin with a position like a certified nursing assistant, advance to a title like a registered nurse, and finally, end up with the title nursing director.

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