Are you interested in becoming a phlebotomist? This detail-oriented career requires you to work with blood drawing and lab specimens.
When you go to a health clinic or hospital, you might be asked to give blood so that doctors can figure out your health problem. Phlebotomists are the professionals who get your blood when you go to the doctor or give it away at a blood bank for donations.
Compared to other health care careers, training to be a phlebotomist is a quick process. It only requires a few months of formal training.
This article will run you through everything you need to know if you have plans to become a phlebotomist.
What Is the Job Description?
Some tasks of phlebotomists include the following:
- Drawing blood or obtaining blood samples through syringes or finger-pricking
- Labeling the obtained blood and sending them to a laboratory or a blood bank for storage
Phlebotomists also collect blood for research, transfusions, medical testing, and blood donations to the blood bank. Phlebotomists must take great care in drawing, labeling, and transporting samples to ensure that the findings of lab tests are correct.
Private laboratories contract phlebotomists to operate in health care centers and physician offices. They often work full-time. However, part-time positions are also available. Patients increasingly require 24-hour access to blood professionals, whether for routine testing or when there are emergencies.
Phlebotomists must be detail-oriented, have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and be able to interact with a diverse range of patients. You must also be a good timekeeper.
Other qualifications to become a phlebotomist include good integrity and accuracy when procuring proper specimens. The physicians, laboratory technologists, and other health care workers use the specimens to diagnose patients’ conditions, and all of this depends on the high-quality work of the phlebotomist.
What Kind of Training and Education Do You Have to Undergo?
To become a phlebotomist requires only a six-month qualification from a phlebotomy school near you. This makes it one of the fastest healthcare occupations to get started in. Applicants to community colleges and universities must have a high school diploma or GED.
The following subjects are included in the curriculum of phlebotomy classes:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Health care safety
- Basic computer skills
- Communicating with patients
- Medical terminology
Students are also required to obtain blood samples and prepare them for the laboratory as part of their training.
Many phlebotomists take a national certification test to boost their job prospects. Many hospitals and health care facilities prefer to work with phlebotomists who are nationally certified rather than those who are only required to be state or nationally licensed to practice.
Phlebotomy is a launching pad for various occupations. After obtaining your certification, you can work as a medical lab technician, patient care technician, or dialysis technician while attending school to pursue other health care vocations. The phlebotomy certificates of nurses and EMTs can enhance their credentials in the medical field.
How Is the Career Outlook for Phlebotomists?
Phlebotomy is entry-level work in the healthcare industry, but it provides decent compensation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, phlebotomists earned an average yearly salary of $36,320 in May of 2020. In the top 10% of phlebotomists, the average salary was $50,740; in the worst 10%, the average salary was $26,690.
Conclusion
Becoming a phlebotomist can be an excellent and profitable entry-level healthcare job. Many phlebotomists find that this is the stepping-stone to other healthcare jobs that pay more and have better benefits.
Are you planning on getting a phlebotomy certification in Schaumburg, IL? Northwest Suburban College offers various training courses and programs to help you get started on your medical career. Contact us to learn more!
