Phlebotomy Certification
Interested in a rewarding career making a difference in people’s lives?

How about a job that is more than a job—but an opportunity to give back and grow each and every day?

And, last but not least, a profession that will provide job security and a comfortable living?
Consider a career in phlebotomy!

Why phlebotomy?
The healthcare sector is one of the fastest growing fields in the nation. Earning your phlebotomy certification can open up a world of experience and a secure living.

Phlebotomy is a vital part of the healthcare chain. Almost everyone, at some point, requires the services of a professional phlebotomist, from a newly pregnant mother to the critically ill patients of an intensive care unit.

As a phlebotomist, you can choose the work location and hours that fit your lifestyle. From laboratory settings to clinics and hospitals and even traveling work, phlebotomy is a flexible career choice. Part-time, casual, and full-time hours are available.

So how can you earn the all-important training that can help launch your new career and provide a better life for your and your family? Follow the steps below to start your path towards phlebotomy school.

Step 1: Get started with a diploma or GED
As with many technical programs, a career in phlebotomy begins with adults who have a high school diploma or Graduate Equivalent Degree (GED). For more information on obtaining your GED, please visit www.gedtestingservice.com.

Step 2: Find the phlebotomy program that works for you.
Next, decide on the type of training that meets your needs. Are you looking for a fast-paced program that will start you off earning money right away? Or are you more interested in a well-rounded education to equip you to better handle the needs of your patients and the healthcare sector? You will need to consider the two tracks of phlebotomy school.

1. Vocational training. Vocational training in phlebotomy will provide you with the technical skills you need to practice phlebotomy in as little as three to six months. Vocational training may be found at a variety of locations, including medical centers, hospitals, and community colleges. Look for phlebotomy school programs that are accredited and affiliated with an official phlebotomy certification testing center.
2. Degree programs. A degree program for phlebotomy combines the technical aspect of the field with a broader associate’s degree in a health-related field. This degree may take two to three years. It equips you with the general education base you need to excel and expand your medical skills. Community and local colleges are a good place to start looking for a phlebotomy school degree program.

Step 3: Get certified.
While the completion of a vocational training or degree program is technically all that is required to enter in to the field of phlebotomy in most states, a good phlebotomy school will equip you to take a national certification exam. National certification will set you apart as a dedicated and professional phlebotomist. Some certifying organizations include:

American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians: www.aspt.org
National Phlebotomy Association: www.nationalphlebotomy.org
National Healthcare Association: www.nhanow.com

Step 4: Enjoy an exciting and rewarding new career in phlebotomy!

How to Become a Phlebotomist

Learning how to become a phlebotomist is the key to entering this challenging field. A phlebotomist plays a vital role in the medical community by collecting blood samples from patients in laboratories, clinics, hospitals, and many other settings. Phlebotomists must know how to perform the following tasks:

• Collect blood by venipuncture using the proper safety precautions
• Observe legal requirements, such as patient confidentiality and informed consent
• Interact with patients and their families in a caring yet professional manner
• Deliver specimens safely to on-site labs or off-site facilities
• Complete lab paperwork and keep computerized records

What Kind of Background Do I Need?

Phlebotomy training programs require a high school diploma or a Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED), and you must be at least 18 years old to enroll. Although you don’t need specialized training in the health sciences to qualify for most programs, an interest in biology, physiology, or medicine will help you excel as a phlebotomist.

What Skills Are Required?

Phlebotomy requires interpersonal skills, manual dexterity, and an attention to detail. You must be comfortable drawing blood and handling specimens. Many of the patients you’ll meet will be nervous, uncomfortable, ill, or disoriented. A friendly, calm manner will reassure your patients and let them know that they’re in good hands. You should enjoy a fast-paced work environment and feel comfortable working under pressure.

Where Do I Get Training?

Vocational schools and community colleges offer programs that can teach you how to become a phlebotomist. Most phlebotomy certificate programs last for three to six months and include a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on training. At the end of the program, you will be qualified to take a national exam for certification in phlebotomy. Course work typically covers these subjects:

• Basic human anatomy and physiology
• Medical terminology
• Venipuncture
• Specimen processing
• Laboratory protocols
• Universal precautions
• Legal aspects of phlebotomy
• CPR training

If you want to expand your education to include general courses in the sciences, math, or healthcare, you can earn a two-year associate’s degree in phlebotomy through a technical school or community college. Although you don’t need a college education to practice phlebotomy in most medical facilities, a degree in phlebotomy or medical technology can help you advance professionally as you continue your career.

What Credentials Do I Need?

Most hiring facilities require that phlebotomists pass a national certification exam after completing their training. There are a number of professional organizations that offer the exam, including American Medical Technologists (AMT), the National Phlebotomy Association (NPA), and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). In some states, such as California, phlebotomy technicians must also hold a license through the state’s health department or an occupational board.

How Do I Find a Job in Phlebotomy?

If you want to become a phlebotomist, you have a promising future ahead of you. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for phlebotomy technicians is strong. As the American population ages and the rate of chronic disease rises, the need for diagnostic testing will also increase, the BLS reports. Phlebotomy technicians can search for employment in various workplaces, including these:

• Hospitals
• Diagnostic laboratories
• Physicians’ offices
• Research institutions
• Blood banks
• Government agencies

When searching for employment, you’ll need a professional resume that showcases your educational background, certification status, and past work experience. Some phlebotomy programs offer job placement assistance to their graduates. Take advantage of online job search engines and networking sites to find career opportunities in this versatile profession. You’ll find that learning how to become a phlebotomist can be interesting and profitable!

Phlebotomy literally means vein cutting for blood collection. Phlebotomist (Phlebotomy Technician) is a person, who is trained to perform this procedure, as well to prepare the blood for analysis, to perform analysis and to report the results. This profession is very significant in the sphere of healthcare and for the last years, the demand for qualified specialists increases. Many new technologies are applied Phlebotomy to become more and more safe and sterile, to decrease the risks. Phlebotomy schools offer acquisition of required skills and experience to make Phlebotomy maximally painless for the patient.
Graduated Phlebotomist (Phlebotomy Technician)  can practice in various Hospital Institutions, laboratories and blood centers, mobile blood procurement stations and diagnostic centers. The Phlebotomy Technician’s duties include:
- actualization of patient profiles;
- preparation of blood samples for analysis;
- sterilization and equipment  maintenance;
- information analysis;
- samples dispatch to the laboratories;
- preparation of required instruments and materials for procedure accomplishment;
- disinfection with spirit of the place, from where the blood samples are to be taken;
- Phlebotomy accomplishment;
- making compresses after a procedure accomplishment;
- information analysis;
- tracking of  life indicators, etc.
The specification of obligations depends on the place, where the Phlebotomist works – whether it is a doctor’s office, laboratory or a blood center.
In order to start working as a Phlebotomist, a person has to graduate at a Phlebotomy school. As in other healthcare professions, a secondary education diploma or GED is required for Phlebotomy too. The training fee in Phlebotomy schools is different, but the most schools offer financial help and accreditation (which guarantees the required skills acquisition and successful career).
The studied subjects in Phlebotomy schools during the Phlebotomy Training  are Anatomy, Heart and Circulatory System, Phlebotomy Theory, Infection Protection, legal and moral norms, techniques for vein or arteries detection, training in butterfly and syringe venipuncture in collecting blood, syringe volume, blood composition, quality control, building patient trust (this is very important, because some patients have phobias about blood-taking, while others fear of a hypodermic needle), protection of labour. During the Phlebotomy Training skin construction, waste collection in biocontainers, blood transportation and preservation, etc. are also studied.  In Phlebotomy schools, a large number of practical lessons are allocated, because the experience is very important for the future Phlebotomist. Training usually lasts for 2 years; for Bachelor degree, it is 4 years. However, except for the Phlebotomy schools, it is possible to complete a program in taking blood for some hospital institution or blood center, which continues for about a year. Besides the opportunity to choose some of the well-known schools and colleges, which offer Phlebotomy Training, it is possible to complete a course offered by many online schools (good online schools provide an opportunity for subject practice or cooperate for practice realization in a health institution). Another option of Phlebotomy schools is a Red Cross Phlebotomy Training, where the preparation is analogical and a diploma is given at the end.

After completion of Phlebotomy Training in some of the Phlebotomy schools, the future Phlebotomist can take a written exam to receive his Phlebotomy Certificate. Some schools work with agencies for certification and after the course completion and taking an exam, a certification is given and it is possible to start job as Certified Phlebotomy Technician. If the course is not attended in any of these schools, an additional exam has to be taken with additional requirements and fees that could reach up to $200. The most famous organizations, which can give certificates in the USA, are The American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians, National Phlebotomy Association, American Phlebotomy Association
Certification is obligatory in only two states of America and it is not permitted to start job as a Phlebotomist without it. However, it is desirable everywhere to take an examination for certification, because it presupposes finding a job easier and higher Phlebotomy Salary. Without a certification presenting, it is difficult for the candidate to prove to employer that he possesses required knowledge and experience. There are differences concerning requirements to start a job as a Phlebotomist in each state and it is required to check them in local level. Requirements for receiving a certificate are also different, but usually the Phlebotomist should have at least half-year practice on full-time job or one year on a part-time job. Organizations, before which a Phlebotomy Technician could go in for an examination for taking a certification, have a lifetime fee; require annually taking an examination for certification renewal and a membership fee). In spite of additional raising the cost, certification-receiving investment is worth it, as the Certified Phlebotomy Technician takes higher salary.
The factors that form a Phlebotomy Salary are several, and the experience is very significant. Graduated Phlebotomist (Phlebotomy Technician) can earn good monthly income (average salary varies between $17000- $32000), and a  Phlebotomist  with an experience of more than 20 years earns an average salary of $8000 annually more than his colleague with 3 years practice. The Phlebotomy Technician salary is higher in big cities (an average annual salary in New York is over $40000). It is easier to find job in big cities; Phlebotomy Technician works for an average of 40 hours a week for more than $15 per hour. Personal qualities are also taken into account for salary determination. The salary can vary as well depending on workplace, working time and requirements. For more clarity, the following table describes the Phlebotomist salary on the most important criteria.
Except for good wages, Phlebotomist has the right to use paid holidays and full-pay sick leave, better health and pension insurance, additional bonuses in the form of courses and qualification programs.
No matter which of the schools offering Phlebotomist classes a prospective Phlebotomist choose to attend, after successful training completion, the certified Phlebotomy Technician will have a morally and financially rewarding career.