How to Become a Phlebotomist?

Phlebotomists primarily work in hospitals and similar spaces where they have to draw blood for laboratory testing. This will include tasks like conducting research in the field, conducting tests, transfusions, and even blood donation. Candidates who wish to work in the healthcare sector but do not want to choose a profession that requires long years of study will be able to choose this profession.

While the tasks assigned to a phlebotomist might seem insignificant compared to other professions in the field, this is one of the professions that can aid in the primary diagnosis of most diseases. To be a phlebotomist, candidates must complete a course in phlebotomy and have sufficient laboratory experience. After this, most candidates will require a special state or national certification that will help them practice phlebotomy in the state of their choice.

Eligibility to Become a Phlebotomist

The eligibility requirement for becoming a phlebotomist includes completing one’s high school education with a concentration on the sciences and taking up an accredited phlebotomy program. Candidates can then apply for a state or national certification to be a phlebotomist. Though it isn’t compulsory for most programs, it is ideal for candidates to also have a CPR certification before enrolling in the program.

The basic eligibility requirements are-

• High School/ GED completion
• CPR Certification
• Phlebotomy Program completion
• Complete clinical training as job training hours or the number of venipunctures done.

Benefits of Becoming a Phlebotomist

The most popular careers in the healthcare industry are that of a doctor or a nurse. However, innumerable other options can allow candidates to stay in the same industry without having to invest a lot of time and money before being able to work. People who opt for this profession can work in different settings, including infusion centers, urgent cares, labs, multi-specialty hospitals, and small-scale clinics.

The benefits of being a phlebotomist are-

• Candidates will only have to complete a 40 to 80-hour course before they can practice the profession.
• It offers a steady income to candidates and flexible schedules they will be able to deal with.
• Let candidates choose the number of hours they want to work in the day, thereby letting them work for a set number of days they choose.
• The career will offer candidates health benefits irrespective of where they work.
• Phlebotomy has meager training costs that will make investment returns sooner.
• Since there is a job outlook of 17 percent between the years 2019 and 2029, candidates will always be able to find job opportunities within the field.

Steps to Become a Phlebotomist

The steps to be a phlebotomist range from completing high school to getting certified at a state or national level. These steps can be listed as follows-

Step 1- Candidates who wish to be a phlebotomist must start their preparation at a high school level and either complete high school, get a high school diploma, or take the GED test. It is ideal for candidates to focus on subjects in the sciences to be able to excel in their future careers.

Step 2- Though it isn’t mandatory, most phlebotomist programs and career options often require the candidate to have CPR certification. Most candidates can take this certification while they are in high school or right after it.

Step 3- Candidates can now enroll in an accredited phlebotomist program, which has been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Service. This course will be a postsecondary non-degree program lasting less than a year.

Step 4- After completing the phlebotomy program, candidates can certify themselves as phlebotomists at a state or national level. This certification is not compulsory for a phlebotomist except in states like California, Washington, Nevada, and Louisiana, where they will require state certification.

Step 5- Most hospitals and clinics will require candidates to have a set number of hours in clinical training before they can be permanent staff. This training is either calculated based on the number of clinical hours they have spent or on the number of venipunctures they have done. The number of hours required will vary between different workplaces.

Courses for Phlebotomy

The program that one has to do to be a phlebotomist is a postsecondary non-degree program that is offered by community colleges, vocational schools, and even technical schools. The duration of this program can range anywhere between 6 months to a year. The course will primarily involve the study of drawing blood and, at the same time, will contain information relating to laboratory procedures.

The subjects they must learn during the course are anatomy, physiology, blood and cell composition, blood sampling, laboratory safety, CPR, etc. They will also get hands-on training in venipuncture techniques, fingerstick methods for hard-to-find veins, and butterfly techniques for the elderly and children. The courses that the candidate chooses must be accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Services.

Certifications to Become Phlebotomist

Certification is not mandatory for candidates to be phlebotomists; having one will let them find better-paying jobs within the industry. Candidates wishing to practice in states like California, Washington, Nevada, and Louisiana must get special state certifications. The other option they will have is to get a national certification in the course, which will exempt them from taking special state specializations. At the same time, candidates need to check which national certification is accepted by the state where they wish to work since states like California only accept certifications from 6 agencies. The certifications that candidates can take include-

• American Certification Agency
• American Medical Technologists
• American Society for Clinical Pathology
• National Center for Competency Testing
• National Credentialing Agency
• National Healthcare Association
• National Phlebotomy Certification Examination
• American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians

To apply for certification, candidates will require a minimum number of credits through the program they have completed, along with a set number of hours in clinical training. Candidates must also have a form provided by their supervisor stating that they are competent enough for the profession.

Maintaining Credentials

Candidates certified nationally or state-wise will have to continue earning educational credits to maintain their status in the field. They will also be able to take up a Donor Phlebotomy Technician certification, increasing their chance of employment and letting them work in blood donation centers.

Most often, the candidate's certification will have to be renewed annually. This will be based on the kind of certification the candidate chooses.

Popular Colleges for Phlebotomy

• Cuyahoga Community College- Cleveland
  Tuition Fee for Ohio Residents- $149.08 per credit hour
  Tuition Fee for Out-of-State Residents- $286.19 per credit hour
• Eastern Florida State College-
  Tuition Fee for Course- $422.40 for 165 hours
• Columbus State Community College
  Tuition Fee for Ohio Residents- $167.93 per credit hour
  Tuition Fee for Out-of-State Residents- $343.47 per credit hour
• Front Range Community College
  Tuition Fee for Residents- $247.35 per credit hour
  Tuition Fee for non-residents- $629.25 per credit hour

Places of Work

Since the work of a phlebotomist includes drawing blood, they are often employed in spaces with extensive use of laboratories. They are mostly employed in hospitals, diagnostic and medical laboratories, and doctor’s offices. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost

• 38% of phlebotomists work in hospitals,
• 32% of them work in medical and diagnostics laboratories,
• 15% of them work in ambulatory health services,
• 7% of them work in physician’s offices, and
• 2% work in outpatient care centers.

People who plan to be phlebotomists must also be prepared to travel from office to office if they work for mobile blood donation centers. Their work is full-time, with shifts that can be 8 hours, 10 hours, or even 12 hours.

Career Prospects

This career path has an estimated job increase of 17% from 2019 to 2029, which is way higher than other professions. The projected employment until the year 2029 is estimated to be around 155,500. This implies that candidates who opt for this profession will always be in demand and will never have to spend time keenly hunting for jobs. Their job description essentially implies collecting blood samples from patients for various purposes. Though drawing blood would be the most common task, they will also have to be efficient in marking the collected samples and storing them efficiently. They are expected to talk to patients and donors amiably to reduce their nervousness during the process.

Candidates will have to verify the credentials of the patient while marking their blood samples since even minor errors in labeling and listing the samples can create problems of high magnitude. Sometimes, apart from labeling the samples, they will also have to enter these details in the database. The median salary estimate made by the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics amounts to $36,320 per year, which can be calculated as $17.46 per hour.