What Does It Take to Become a Phlebotomist
Becoming a Phlebotomist - Accredited Programs, Certification & Salary
A phlebotomy career enables professionals to work with a broad diverseness of people and depict blood at hospitals and healthcare sites or fifty-fifty through unique types of jobs. For example, some phlebotomists might go from dwelling to home to collect blood samples from life insurance applicants used in underwriting procedures to determine their eligibility and rates.
Other phlebotomists depict blood at clinics to rule out or diagnose medical weather condition. Finally, some phlebotomists work at blood banks and are tasked with keeping claret donors safe, comfy, and entertained while donating vital fluids to save lives.
Phlebotomists primarily collect blood using a procedure known as venipuncture, in which a vein is punctured to collect blood. For this reason, they should non just be comfortable working with blood and needles but also collecting and transporting samples.
The procedures to exercise venipuncture correctly and safely are learned in a phlebotomy program so that students understand what they need to exercise to protect themselves. Safety and accuracy are essential skills for phlebotomists. In addition, for many patients, having blood drawn can be an uncomfortable experience fraught with anticipation and feet, and so phlebotomists must likewise have a calm and compassionate chair-side manner.
Careers in phlebotomy are in high need for most every healthcare facility. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that phlebotomy jobs are expected to grow 22 pct nationally between 2020 and 2030, much faster than the national average for all occupations at 4 percentage in the same catamenia (BLS 2021).
In that same decade, a staggering 28,800 new positions are anticipated in industries such as hospitals, medical and diagnostic laboratories, convalescent healthcare, physician offices, and outpatient care centers. In addition, long-term intendance and home health jobs are also in high demand, and virtually phlebotomists piece of work full-time.
If working with blood and needles is not a career deal-billow, read on to acquire more almost becoming a phlebotomist.
How Long Does It Have to Become a Phlebotomist?
Becoming a phlebotomist can take a year or less to complete, depending on the education program and whether a student pursues national certification. A few states also take different certification requirements for employment in that state, and this may make the process longer.
Educational activity programs tin take from as little equally eight weeks to less than a year to finish depending upon the school type, and program students enroll in. Programs at vocational schools may be quicker, whereas those at community colleges could take longer. Completing both the instructional and clinical hours of a program is essential to obtaining a certificate or diploma and finding employment.
National certification is generally not required but tin can aid obtain employment. This could have several months or more than to consummate, depending on how prepared a pupil is for the exam and how motivated they are to seek certification. However, there are generally time limitations when a student can take completed a plan and still sit for national certification.
Certification is required in only a few states, then information technology is possible to be working as a phlebotomist in less than a year, especially when a student enrolls in one of the quicker-paced programs.
Phlebotomy Program Cost & Career Salary
Phlebotomy programs aren't costly relative to the salary yous can earn. Courses range in cost from $700 to $iii,000, depending on the school and length of training. Additionally, students who pursue certification will need to pay $xc to $200 for the exam fee. States requiring licensure will too incur a $58 to $200 cost.
The BLS (May 2020) reports that the hateful hourly wage for the field was $17.92, equivalent to $37,280 annually. However, California, New York, Washington, D.C., Alaska, and Washington had higher mean wages for phlebotomists—all above $41,000.
It does take special skills to go a phlebotomist. Abiding client interaction and fast-paced workplaces require that professionals in the field take:
- Compassion: Because some people do not like to accept their claret drawn, phlebotomists need to exist understanding and compassionate nigh this anxiety and fear.
- Dexterity: Since phlebotomists are inserting a needle into a vein, they need to be accurate and precise in what they exercise. Skillful manus-middle coordination is necessary, but so is the ability to successfully insert a needle into a vein during the first endeavour.
- Attention to detail: Not but do phlebotomists need to be able to depict blood, only they must also draw the correct amounts, do then for the number of tests needed, collect that blood, track it, and enter it into a database. Phlebotomists must take extreme care not to mix upwardly or incorrectly characterization samples.
Many phlebotomists work in laboratory settings, but others work for ambulatory services, providing them more flexibility on the chore. Withal, they may need to work weekends or evening hours, like in a laboratory.
Continue reading to discover more than about condign a phlebotomist, including the steps to have toward education and national certification.
Steps to Get a Phlebotomist – Education & Feel
Many people want to know how to become a phlebotomist, and so here are some general steps to take:
Step 1: Complete High School (iv years). To be accepted into phlebotomy programs, students should have a high school diploma or a GED. In fact, students can enter most programs directly upon completing loftier schoolhouse. Students who wish to pursue this career should take courses in wellness, science, and psychology to aid prepare them for boosted studies.
Step 2: Complete an Accredited Phlebotomy Program (8 weeks to a twelvemonth). A phlebotomy education typically takes a yr or less to complete. Graduates receive a certificate or diploma. These programs, commonly available through vocational schools and community colleges, include pedagogy in beefcake, medical terminology, and physiology. Classroom and lab work are essential components of instruction, and while the requirements for enrollment can vary, they may include:
- High schoolhouse diploma or GED
- A minimum GPA while in high school
- Immunization records
- Background cheque
- CPR certification
Once accustomed into a plan, students typically need to pay tuition and fees. These may or may not cover the costs for textbooks and a uniform. Also, students who drop out of a plan subsequently enrolling may be assessed a withdrawal fee.
When enrolling, students may wish to look for a plan approved by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). Near 60 phlebotomy programs nationwide are listed as approved on the NAACLS site as of January 2022, meaning that they take reached specific education standards in phlebotomy and that staff and faculty have attained specific didactics levels.
Step 3: Pursue Professional Phlebotomy Certification (timelines vary). While certification is non required in all states, it does increment employability. California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington require phlebotomists to hold a certification.
The eligibility requirements to sit for a certification exam vary based on the testing agency. However, for all agencies, aspiring professionals must:
- Complete a phlebotomy education course
- Concord a current CPR certification
- Have graduated from high schoolhouse or have obtained a GED
- Complete the required clinical training either with a necessary number of on the job training hours or several venipunctures
Students should verify the requirements with each testing bureau to ensure they run across the requirements. In one case requirements are met, students can apply to take the exam for certification. Top recognized certification agencies include:
- American Certification Agency for Healthcare Professionals (ACA)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
- The National Centre for Competency Testing (NCCT/MMCI)
- The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Medical Certification Association (AMCA)
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
Fees for these exams and the format of the tests vary. Fees range from $58 to $200. The phlebotomy examination through the National Center for Competency Testing, as an example, comprises 125 scored questions and 25 unscored pretest items. Students take three hours for testing, and they may need to demonstrate applied knowledge of some skills, such every bit taking blood.
Step 4: Maintain Certification (annually). Continuing certification requirements will vary depending on the arrangement. However, an almanac fee and completion of continuing didactics are typical requirements. Maintaining certification demonstrates a professional'due south dedication to maintaining quality piece of work on an ongoing basis and has met cognition standards set by a tertiary-party bureau.
The BLS reports the job prospects are the best for those who receive certification from any bachelor reputable certifying organizations. In other words, although certification may take extra work and an ongoing commitment to pedagogy, having a certification can result in career benefits.
Accredited Phlebotomist Certificate Programs
Phlebotomy programs are generally offered on-campus at schools and institutions since students demand to gain hands-on blood withdrawal and drove skills. Beneath is a look at some of the programs that aspiring phlebotomists can find in the U.S., merely keep in listen that these just represent a pocket-sized sample of available programs across the country.
Abrams College, in Modesto, California, offers the didactic portion of its phlebotomy program over two weeks, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays and from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This accounts for 48 hours in classroom written report, for which students need to pass all exams and requirements at skill stations to motion on to the externship experience.
The externship is 40 hours and occurs in a clinical laboratory or hospital. Upon successful completion, students receive a certificate and should exist eligible to seek national certification and state licensure.
- Location: Modesto, CA
- Duration: 88 hours
- Accreditation: California Section of Public Wellness Services
- Tuition: $iii,750 total
Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, offers a short-term certificate in laboratory phlebotomy. The didactic curriculum is skills-based and trains students in all matters of blood drove, special blood collecting techniques, medical terminology, ethics, and other related areas. In add-on, students are required to complete an eight-week clinical externship in a hospital or medical dispensary.
In the past three years, graduates from this program have earned a cumulative 95 percent laissez passer charge per unit on certification exams and 100 percent job placement upon completion of this NAACLS-accredited program. In addition, transfer programs are available for students who want to become on to earn a bachelor'southward degree from a partnership institution.
- Location: Cleveland, OH
- Duration: Two semesters
- Accreditation: National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
- Tuition: $120-$278 per credit (depends on county and state resident condition)
In Council Bluffs, Iowa, Iowa Western Community College offers a phlebotomy program that covers eighty hours of classroom training and 120 hours of clinical experience. In the sixth week of the program, students are given their clinical placements and, upon completion, should be eligible to sit for national certification through the American Guild for Clinical Pathology. Once admitted to the programme, students must show proof of vaccination and follow a strict professional clothes code.
- Location: Council Bluffs, IA
- Duration: 200 hours
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission of the North Fundamental Clan of Colleges and Schools
- Tuition: $ane,629 full; free tuition assist available to Iowa residents
Santa Iron College in Gainesville, Florida, offers a phlebotomy certificate plan that students can complete in two semesters. Students encounter for 60 hours of classroom instruction the kickoff semester and spend the second semester completing 105 hours of phlebotomy clinical rotations.
To be eligible for admission, students must pass a background check and have received the required immunizations. In addition, CPR certification, HIPAA grooming, and bloodborne pathogen teaching are included in this course. This program is seeking approval from NAACLS.
- Location: Gainesville, FL
- Elapsing: One semester
- Accreditation: Southern Clan of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Tuition: $595 total (in-state residents); $1,774 total (out-of-state residents)
South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado, Arkansas, is a ane-semester program that prepares students for careers in phlebotomy. Through vii credit hours of courses in phlebotomy, professionalism, patient relations, and medical engineering, students are ready to sit for national exams to earn certification in phlebotomy.
Students must maintain a form of C or higher in all courses, complete 100 successful unaided collections, and piece of work for a minimum of 100 clinical hours in assigned healthcare facilities. The program director sets practicum settings. NAACLS accredits this program, and each class is limited to 14 students.
- Location: El Dorado, AR
- Elapsing: One semester
- Accreditation: National Accrediting Bureau for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
- Tuition: $84-172 per credit hr (depends on county and country resident condition)
Source: https://www.medicaltechnologyschools.com/phlebotomist/how-to-become-a-phlebotomist
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