Phlebotomy certification may be for you if you aren’t squeamish about needles, blood, and body fluids. All that is required in most areas to begin training is a high school diploma or GED. Your best bet to get the training you need, while getting paid for it, is to apply to a large hospital that has a need for lab trainees. You can also check with blood banks, and of course community or technical colleges.
If you decide to get training through a local hospital, make sure you will receive the training and testing required for certification. This makes your skills “official” and much more marketable in the healthcare field. Some large hospitals will teach you the technicalities of drawing blood for their purposes, but this will not get you a Phlebotomy Certification, and will make it difficult for you to get a job elsewhere.
Employers are hesitant to hire non-certified phlebotomists no matter how experienced they are. The certification (or License in some states), makes you a professional in your field and decreases the hiring organizations liability.
Opportunities
Once you have a Phlebotomy Certification you can work in a hospital laboratory, blood bank, doctor’s office, health clinic, or in a mobile lab common in urban areas that run public health checks. You may also consider working with the special needs found in a children’s hospital or clinic, or in an oncology hospital.
There are also labs that send techs out on calls to gather specimens from patients that cannot come to them, for example, nursing home residents. These phlebotomists usually get paid per patient plus mileage.
Most hospitals and many other employers have educational benefits. You can further your education in healthcare while your employer pays for books and tuition. This is a valuable benefit that you should look for in any employer.
The hourly rate for Certified or Licensed Phlebotomists is $10-$15.00 per hour, depending partially on area of residence. Place of employment matters, too. Doctor’s offices pay on the low end of the scale, while hospitals, independent labs, and blood banks pay more.
Job Description
As a phlebotomist you are trained to take blood, and sometimes body fluid, for medical testing that a physician has ordered. This can involve a finger stick, a heel stick (usually from an infant), or blood drawn from a vein or artery. This is an invasive procedure and protocol must be followed to insure the safety of yourself and your patient. The blood then has to be preserved and transported to the lab, and the waste (needles, gloves, alcohol preps) properly disposed of as hazardous waste. This is the technical aspect of the career.
It will also be part of your job to make sure the patient is as relaxed and comfortable throughout the procedure as is possible. Communication is very important, and you will need to explain the procedure to the patient, or to the family if the patient is a child or otherwise unable to understand.
Job Risks
The nature of this job puts the worker at risk daily for illness and pathogens borne by body fluid. Aids and Hepatitis are just two of the many diseases that can pass easily through an accidental needle stick. The proper use and handling of gloves, needles, and other equipment, along with proper disposal is of the utmost importance to any Certified Phlebotomist.
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