Are you interested in getting your phlebotomist certification to make money drawing blood for a living? If so, way to go. There will be plenty of job opportunities in this field for years to come, and demand is only expected to increase year over year.
First let’s go over some details about just what phlebotomy is, and why the job is important.
What Is a Phlebotomist?
Phlebotomists are educated healthcare staff that interact with people without the concerns connected with being a doctor or registered nurse. Phlebotomists take blood for evaluation, the results of which doctors use as an important diagnostic tool. Just like many healthcare employees, getting to be a phlebotomist demands a solid education. Learning to be a phlebotomist would mean studying and knowing human anatomy and physiology, blood collection methods, basic safety protocols, first aid and CPR.
How Can I Get My Phlebotomy Certification?
Being a phlebotomist starts out with high school. Phlebotomists must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. Phlebotomists then undertake a phlebotomy training program. Phlebotomy courses are often given by training colleges, numerous hospitals, online, occupational and vocational schools. There are generally 3 kinds of phlebotomy programs: certification, associate, and bachelor’s degrees. Certificate training courses are the most typical amongst students with the intention of being a phlebotomist. Certificate programs go for 12 weeks on up to one year and will cost you $1500 to $3000 to finish. Associate and bachelorÔøΩs degrees require two to four years and cost you up to ten times more than certification programs. People serious about being a phlebotomist should be careful to take a course which has already been acknowledged by the US Department of Education, the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NAACLS), or other agencies. Accepted or accredited courses meet the specifications and regulations set by two necessary institutions, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Can I work as a Phlebotomist Without a Certification?
Learning to be a phlebotomist does not end on graduation from a study program. Certification will be the next step in start a career as a phlebotomist. While not mandatory by law for professional phlebotomists, other than in California and Louisiana, the majority of employers probably won’t hire non-certified phlebotomists. Possession of official certifications signifies that the phlebotomist is totally educated with collection procedures and techniques along with health and safety procedures and protocols. Certification is granted thru ten nationally recognized validating organizations. These agencies include the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), and the National Phlebotomy Association (NPA). Phlebotomists should fill out an application for certification (which usually may be processed on the internet) then successfully complete a standard assessment.
How Much Money Does a Certified Phlebotomist Earn?
People interested in being in the health care field should look at being a phlebotomist. Presently there is definitely huge demand, because the health care sector is consistently increasing caused by an aging general public. The fact is, the US Bureau of Labor predicts a 14% increase in employment prospects from 2006 to 2016. Phlebotomists make an average hourly wage of $12.84 and an typical yearly wage of $26,710. Quite a few employers provide employee benefits to phlebotomists, including vacation, paid sick days and accessibility to health care and retirement plans.
