Most phlebotomy recertification programs require both paying a fee and taking continuing education courses. Depending on how your certifying organization defines “continuing education,” your options could include seminars, online courses, CPR classes, volunteer work or even college courses you may be taking already.

Be sure to submit your phlebotomy rectification application in plenty of time. Some certifying boards take 90 days or more to fully process applications, and if you fail to complete your application far enough in advance your certification could drop completely.  If this happens, you’ll likely need to pay additional fees and may even have to take (and pay for) your certification exam all over again.

Each certifying organization has its own standards regarding phlebotomy recertification. For example:

• The American Society of Clinical Pathologists requires that those who hold phlebotomy certificates complete the Certification Maintenance Program every three years. This involves taking continuing education classes. If you fail to meet the requirements in time, you’ll need to pay a fee to have your certification reinstated.

• If you’re certified through American Medical Technologists, you’ll need to pay an annual renewal fee as well as comply with the organization’s Certification Continuation Program. If you don’t meet either of these requirements, you’ll have to recertify. Depending on how long your certification has been expired, you may need to take a refresher course or a recertification exam.

• To keep your certification current through the National Health Association and avoid having to recertify, you need to earn 10 continuing education credits every two years through the organization’s online continuing education program. If you earn the required credits, your certification will be extended by two years. Phlebotomy recertification through the National Health Association involves taking 15 continuing education credits, and paying both a recertification fee and a reinstatement fee. If your certification has been expired for more than a year you’ll need to re-take the actual certification exam.

• The National Phlebotomy Association requires phlebotomy recertification every year, which involves paying a fee and completing at least 1.8 Continuing Education Units (the equivalent of 18 hours.) If your certification has lapsed for more than 90 days, you’ll need to pay an additional fee to have your certification reinstated.

While some organizations will send you reminders or mail you a recertification form automatically, it’s your responsibility—not theirs—to make sure that you complete all the necessary steps on time. To keep your phlebotomy certification current, you need to know and understand the policies of your certifying organization. If you’re not sure what you have to do to stay certified, don’t delay in finding out exactly what your phlebotomy recertification will require.

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Knowing that you have a right to a safe workplace can help you understand your rights as a phlebotomist. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requires all employers to provide those that work for them with safe working conditions that are free of known dangers. This act also created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a government organization that sets and enforces safety and health standards in the workplace. As an employee you have the right to file a complaint to OSHA if you believe that your employer isn’t meeting safety standards.

Workplace standards required by OSHA include:

• Employees must be informed about potential hazards through methods such as training sessions, warning labels and chemical information sheets.
• Employees must be informed or trained regarding methods to prevent harm from occupational hazards.
• Employees must be informed about the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace.
• Employers are required to provide their employees with appropriate safety equipment free of charge. This includes (but isn’t limited to) gloves, sharps containers and disinfectant to clean up any spills.
• Employers must keep accurate records of all work-related illnesses and injuries.

You also have a right to refuse to draw blood from a patient who is agitated or uncooperative—for example, one who is making threats or who is fighting having a tourniquet put in place. If one of your patients is acting in a way that could put you at risk, notify your employer as soon as possible, and know that you don’t have to collect samples when a patient’s behavior poses a threat to your safety.

As you seek to understand your rights as a phlebotomist, it’s important to remember that it’s illegal for you to be subjected to retaliation or discrimination as a result of exercising your rights. In other words, your employer can’t cut your pay because you filed a complaint.

In addition to your rights related to your safety, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) states that you must be paid for all hours that you work, at a rate of at least the minimum wage. To understand your rights as a phlebotomist, you need to know that your employer is required to compensate you for your work.

When you understand your rights as a phlebotomist, it enables you to make sure that you’re being treated as you should be. It also empowers you to take action if your rights are infringed upon, knowing that you can do so without facing negative consequences as a result.

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If your high school is associated with a vocational technical school, you may have an advantage as you seek out how to study phlebotomy in high school.

Some of these schools have phlebotomy programs that are open to high school students, making it easy for you to learn how to draw blood by the time you earn your high school diploma.

If your high school isn’t connected with a vocational technical school, or it is but phlebotomy isn’t offered, there are still numerous ways you can get a head start in learning phlebotomy. Depending on where you live, you may be able to take courses at your local community college while you’re still in high school.

Although you won’t be able to earn a phlebotomy certificate before your high school graduation, you can earn credits that can apply toward that college’s phlebotomy program. If you’re looking into how to study phlebotomy in high school, don’t hesitate to find out about options for high school students at your local community college.

While getting certified in first aid and CPR doesn’t fall directly under the category of how to study phlebotomy in high school, many phlebotomy programs require first aid or CPR certification. In addition, many employers require that those they hire be certified in one or both of these areas.

You don’t need to be a high school graduate to take the Red Cross’ CPR or first aid certification courses, and getting certified in these areas now can save you time in the months to come. Certification in both of these areas lasts for two years. That means that if you get certified during your senior year, your certification will still be valid when you’re able to enter a phlebotomy training program.

Shadowing a phlebotomist for a day or two is another valuable option if you’re looking into how to study phlebotomy in high school. If you know someone who’s working as a phlebotomist, ask if you can spend a day at work with them.

Obviously, they’ll have to check with their supervisor, but many employers are open to helping aspiring phlebotomists get a glimpse of what their career could be like.

If you don’t know any phlebotomists, ask those you know who work in any area of healthcare if they know someone you could accompany, or simply call hospitals and labs in your area.

If you’re wondering how to study phlebotomy in high school, congratulations! You’re off to a great head start.

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If you’re planning to practice phlebotomy outside the United States, one of the first steps you need to take is to acquire a work visa for the country in which you’d like to work. Each country’s requirements for obtaining a work visa are a little different, so it’s import to contact the department of immigration for the country you have in mind.

Before you decide where you’d like to practice phlebotomy outside the United States, it’s important to investigate how blood is usually drawn in the country you’re considering. Many developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, use the same vacuum collection tubes that are commonly used in the United States. However, not all countries use the same methods. If you don’t know what methods are used in your country of choice, find out. A country’s department of health or medical association website is often a good place to find the information you need.

Most countries require that phlebotomists have at least a high school diploma and often, first aid or a CPR certification. Several countries don’t require phlebotomists to be certified and place more emphasis on training and experience. For example, phlebotomists in the United Kingdom and New Zealand aren’t required to be certified, and most of them learn how to draw blood on the job. However, depending on where you want to practice phlebotomy outside the United States, the regulations for phlebotomists may outline additional, specific requirements. For instance, Australia recently changed their standards so that phlebotomists are now required to have at least what is known as a “Certificate III”—a certification earned at an accredited school—or three years relevant on-the-job experience.

Another important consideration is the primary language or languages spoken in a country where you’d like to practice phlebotomy. While professionals in many countries may speak English, if you can’t speak the language of the majority of your patients, you’re going to have a hard time doing your job well. For instance, you should probably reconsider working as a phlebotomist in Brazil if you don’t speak Portuguese.

If you’re considering practicing phlebotomy outside the United States, you’re faced with a big decision.  However, if you choose wisely, you can have an enjoyable and educational experience.

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There are several reasons why you wouldn’t want to or couldn’t draw blood from the usual site on the arm. A patient’s arm may be in a cast or bandage, preventing access to veins in the arm, or a patient may have an IV, which could alter test results. If a patient’s arm is very swollen, the excess fluid could dilute the blood; if it is extensively scarred, it could be difficult to locate a vein or puncture the scar tissue. That’s why it’s important to know which alternative blood draw sites are safe locations from which to collect samples. Just because a vein is visible doesn’t mean it’s fair game.

The back of the hand often contains several easily visible veins which can be used to collect blood samples. However, these veins are frequently more delicate and smaller in diameter than veins in the arm, and because of this there’s a greater chance that these veins will collapse from the vacuum in the collection tube. However, by using a winged-infusion set (butterfly) or a syringe with a smaller needle, you can often prevent this from happening.

When drawing blood from the hand of an elderly or frail patient, you need to exercise additional care. The veins of these patients often fail to seal around the needle, which can quickly cause a bruise to form. If this happens, unfasten the tourniquet immediately, remove the needle and apply pressure to the area with gauze. You may need to apply pressure for a longer period of time than usual before you apply a bandage to the area.

The veins on the thumb side of a patient’s wrists are also acceptable alternative blood draw sites. These veins are often very visible, but they have a tendency to roll away when the needle is inserted. To keep one of these veins stationary while drawing blood, pull the skin below the site downward with your free thumb (the one on the hand opposite from the one you use to hold the needle). One important note: While the veins near the thumb can be used to successfully collect blood samples, you should never attempt to draw blood from the palm side of the wrist. Nerves and tendons are very close to the surface of the skin in that area.

Depending on where you work and the patient you need to collect a sample from, veins in the feet and ankles can serve as additional alternative blood draw sites. However, you need to obtain a doctor’s permission before drawing blood from these veins as collecting samples from these areas could cause a clot to form; the doctor will need to asses that risk before you can continue. Also, some facilities don’t allow blood to be drawn from the feet or ankles of any patients, so be sure you know what your employer’s polices are. If you are permitted to draw from veins in this area, remember that, like the veins on the backs of the hands, they’re more prone to collapse than those on the arm. Similar methods can be used to increase your chances of success.

By becoming familiar with alternative blood draw sites you can be prepared rather than panicked in a wide range of situations.

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Here are several commonly used pieces of phlebotomy equipment, in the approximate order in which they’re used:

• A tourniquet acts like a rubber band on the patient’s arm. This increases the blood pressure in the veins in the arm, making them easier to see and puncture.
• Alcohol swabs or wipes are used to clean the location from which the phlebotomist will draw blood.
• Blood collection needles of varied sizes are available and are identified by a gauge number. This number indicates the bore size (the size of the hole); the higher the number, the greater the bore size. Different sizes are used depending on the method of collection. Needles with new features such as safety shields are appearing with increased frequency as advances are made in phlebotomy equipment.
• For patients with small or fragile veins, syringes or butterfly needles (also known as winged blood collection sets) are sometimes used in place of the above needles.
• Collection tubes fill with a specific amount of blood when depressed into the needle. The vacuum inside these tubes draws the blood inside, and colored rubber stoppers indicate the additives that each tube contains. While these tubes are traditionally made of glass, more and more facilities are switching to plastic tubes, decreasing the risk of breakage and exposure to blood.
• Gauze is used to apply pressure to the collection site after obtaining samples.
• Tape or an adhesive bandage is used to secure the gauze in place.
• A clearly-labeled sharps container must be kept within reach of the phlebotomist so that needles can be safely disposed of immediately after use.
• Adhesive labels are used to properly identity blood samples, and are placed directly on the collection tubes.

From a safety standpoint, the most crucial pieces of phlebotomy equipment are gloves, which protect phlebotomists from exposure to blood and the diseases that can be transmitted through it. Disposable latex gloves should be worn at any time a phlebotomist will be drawing blood and discarded after use. These gloves should never be re-worn. For phlebotomists who are allergic to latex, gloves that are free of this material are also available.

A phlebotomist can’t do his or her job without the proper phlebotomy equipment. A phlebotomist’s responsibilities include making sure that everything that’s needed is easily accessible before starting to draw blood. Having these tools in place is essential to collecting needed samples and keeping both patients and phlebotomists safe.

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The greatest of all the health risks that phlebotomists face is the possibility of coming into contact with blood that contains dangerous disease-causing pathogens. Sometimes phlebotomists draw blood from patients with serious illnesses, and because of that they need to adhere to the regulations designed to keep them safe. Numerous diseases can be spread through the blood, including several types of hepatitis and HIV. While some of these diseases can be prevented through vaccinations, several, such as HIV, have no cure.

Bloodborne diseases can be transmitted both during and after the process of drawing blood. Although this risk sounds scary, the number of phlebotomists who have contracted diseases such as HIV is actually quite low. This is at least partially due to numerous precautions that have been established to decrease the risks of coming into contact with contaminated blood, including:

• Wearing gloves
• Frequent hand washing
• Having a clearly labeled sharps container within reach when drawing blood
• Disposing of used needles immediately
• Never re-sheathing or reusing needles

Needlesticks injuries are one of the top health risks that phlebotomists face simply because of the many needles that phlebotomists handle every day. If you stick yourself with a contaminated needle (one that’s been used on a patient), you’re at risk of contracting any bloodborne diseases that the patient may have. However, there are several measures you can take to protect yourself even if you do get stuck, including squeezing the site of the wound to cause it to bleed and washing the site thoroughly with soap and water.

The risk of coming into contact with contaminated blood isn’t limited to fingersticks, however. Blood spills that aren’t properly cleaned up with disinfectant, as well as spatters from accidentally puncturing an artery, can also prove hazardous.

Several additional health risks that phlebotomists face involve dealing with combative patients. Some patients may become agitated or even violent, putting the phlebotomist at risk for injury. If a patient is uncooperative or acting in a way that could put the phlebotomist in danger, the phlebotomist can refuse to draw blood from that patient and seek help from nursing or other staff members. In addition to the risk of being physically assaulted, phlebotomists face an increased risk of fingersticks when dealing with uncooperative patients.

The health risks that phlebotomists face are all preventable, and the likelihood that a phlebotomist will contract a bloodborne illness is small. However, it’s important to be aware of these risks so that you can do all you can to minimize them.

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A patient has the right to refuse any treatment, and that includes having blood drawn. If a patient refuses to have blood samples taken, you cannot proceed with drawing blood. On the flip side, you have the right to refuse to draw blood from a patient who is uncooperative or violent.

When handling disgruntled phlebotomy patients, keep in mind that it’s rarely personal. Some may be upset about having to spend an hour in the waiting room; others may be angry at their doctor or nurse for care they received earlier that day; still others may be agitated about something completely unrelated to their medical care. As hard as it may be, don’t get defensive. Your anger and frustration will only cause the situation to escalate.

Listening may be the best thing you can do to help a disgruntled patient calm down. Make eye contact and demonstrate by your body language that you care about what they have to say. Acknowledging a patient’s feelings, even if you don’t understand them, can help a patient calm down and may assist you in figuring out what has them so upset.

If you know why a patient is disgruntled, recognize the difficulty of their situation. For example, you could say “wow, an hour is a long time to wait” or “that must be really frustrating.” Validating concerns can go a long way in handling disgruntled phlebotomy patients. If a patient has a valid concern and you’re able to help or offer a useful piece of information, do so. For example, if a patient complains about waiting a long time, you could tell them about times of day that usually aren’t as busy or give them the opportunity to express their complaint to a supervisor. If you can help a patient view you as an advocate rather than an enemy, the patient may start to see that you’re on their side.

An important thing to remember in handling disgruntled phlebotomy patients is that some patients who act angry may actually be feeling another emotion altogether: fear. It’s not uncommon for patients having blood draw to feel some level of anxiety, but many feel embarrassed that they’re scared and express these feelings as agitation instead.

If you can’t get a patient to calm down, seek help from other staff members. Most facilities have policies about who to call when a patient is too agitated for you to handle and following them can give you the backup you need to keep your patient safe.

While handling disgruntled phlebotomy patients might not be the most enjoyable part of a phlebotomist’s job, knowing what to do when you have to interact with an angry patient can make a difficult situation easier to deal with.

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Job opportunities for both are expected to increase in the years to come, making either a solid choice for individuals looking for a career in the medical field. So, what’s the difference between a phlebotomist and a patient care technician?

The most obvious difference between a phlebotomist and a patient care technician is the scope of the tasks completed by each.

Phlebotomists have one primary purpose: to collect blood samples to be used for tests so that doctors can diagnose and treat patients. Everything they do—from keeping patients calm to ensuring the proper labeling of samples—is related to procuring these samples.

A patient care technician’s job description is much broader than a phlebotomist’s. Patient care technicians collect blood samples, but they also perform numerous additional tasks such as administering EKGs and recording vital signs. They enjoy more variety in their day-to-day duties than phlebotomists do.

Another difference between a phlebotomist and a patient care technician is that many patient care technicians earn a higher salary than many phlebotomists.

Phlebotomists earn an average of $12.50 to $13 per hour, but patient care technicians can earn significantly higher wages, depending on their work environment and exact job description.

The schooling required for each position is one difference between a phlebotomist and a patient care technician that is a deciding factor for many interested in working in the medical field.

Phlebotomy programs can be completed in as little as two months. Patient care technician programs last six months to a year, though some students interested in becoming patient care technicians enroll in two-year associate’s degree programs.

The greater amount of schooling required to become a patient care technician leads to another difference between a phlebotomist and a patient care technician: the financial commitment required to begin working in each field. Patient care technician programs cost three or more times as much as phlebotomy programs.

The difference between a phlebotomist and a patient care technician gives each position both distinct advantages and relative disadvantages.

Patient care technicians are often better paid and complete a greater variety of tasks, but they need to spend more time and money before they can enter the field.

Phlebotomists spend considerably less time and money on training, and are focused on one primary task. For those just looking to get their feet wet in the medical field, phlebotomy may be the better choice.

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The biggest difference between a phlebotomist and an EKG technician is that phlebotomists collect blood samples and EKG technicians perform tests that generate a printout of the electrical impulses transmitted by the heart.

Phlebotomists draw blood, which is used for a number of tests that doctors rely on to diagnose patients, prescribe treatments and monitor levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, hormones and more.

Phlebotomists’ responsibilities also include keeping patients safe and calm, making sure that the right samples are collected for each one and ensuring that each sample is properly labeled.

In contrast, EKG technicians perform electrocardiographs (also known as EKGs), which read the electrical impulses transmitted by the heart—in essence showing the rhythm and rate of a patient’s heartbeat.

These tests are performed before most types of surgery as well as part of examinations for patients with a history of heart problems or whom doctors suspect may have heart problems.

To administer an EKG test, the EKG technician places electrodes on the patient’s body in areas such as the chest, arms and legs so that the EKG machine can read and print out a record of the electrical impulses that were transmitted by the patient’s heart. Doctors use these readouts to analyze conditions such as an irregular heartbeat, as well as detecting new problems.

Another difference between a phlebotomist and an EKG technician is the amount of schooling required to begin working in each position. Phlebotomy training can be completed in as little as two months.

While some EKG technicians are trained on the job, those that receive this type of training are usually those who are already working in the medical field. Many EKG technicians complete one- to two-year certificate or diploma programs, while others complete a two-year associate’s degree program.

The future of each position is a critical difference between a phlebotomist and an EKG technician. Job opportunities for clinical laboratory workers like phlebotomists are expected to grow by 14 percent between 2008 and 2018.

However, the job prospects for EKG technicians are expected to drop in coming years as more nurses and other medical professional learn to administer EKGs.

The main difference between a phlebotomist and an EKG technician may be their differing job descriptions, but the differences in required education and future opportunities are well worth considering.

Phlebotomy may be a better choice for those looking to land a job without a lot of training and have a position that’s in high demand for years to come.

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