If you are looking to become a phlebotomist, there’s a good chance that you already know what a phlebotomist does. However, for those who don’t know, the role of a phlebotomist is very important in the medical field; they are required to take people’s blood for analysis and transfusion, and are also responsible for accurate labelling, hygenic practices and proper storage. Because of its importance in the medical field and the high demand for phlebotomy, a good training program is in place in order to make sure that all people who become phlebotomists are right for the job. There are three main steps that must be completed in order for you to become a phlebotomist.
First Step to Become a Phlebotomist
The first step is that you must have completed high school in order to further your training and education. Therefore, if you haven’t completed high school, it would be best to go back and complete it. The reason for this is that many of the classes run by schools require high school completion as a prerequisite. After you have completed high school you can progress to the second phase of being a phlebotomist.
The second step is to look into different phlebotomy training programs and classes that are available to you that are nationally accredited. A number of different schools and colleges around America offer relatively short courses that get you prepared with the knowledge and skills you will require as a phlebotomist, including knowledge on branches of science such as chemistry and biology and useful practical skills such as how to calm a patient. A list of all the schools that hold accredited phlebotomy classes in the US can be found by doing a search on the National Accreding Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences website.
The third step comes once you have completed one of the above classes. To gain phlebotomy certification, you will need to pass a certification exam. There exams are written by a few different associations, and can be either solely written or both written and practical. Some schools will offer this certification exam as part of the course. Once this exam has been completed to a standard set by the association, they will officially certify you and you will now be recognized as a certified phlebotomist. More information about taking the certification exam can be found here.
After you have become a qualified phlebotomist, you should now have all the skills and knowledge required to practice your profession in the real world. This means that you can find gainful employment in the medical field drawing, storing and analyzing blood for hospitals and the like. A phlebotomist salary is approximately $30,000 per year on average, and phlebotomy jobs can be found in many ways; on online job boards, in newspapers, in person and more.
Phlebotomists have the potential to find their careers very rewarding as they help a lot of different people and aid in savings many lives.