Trade Schools with Phlebotomy Programs
Are you looking for a new career? The medical industry is seeing a shortage of certified phlebotomists. With all the health issues Americans face, and with an aging population, the jobs are there but the skilled workers are not.
If you are considering a position in this field and want to advance your career then it is important to know how much earning potential is involved and which schools offer the most beneficial training program.
Phlebotomy degrees offer graduates a very specific skill set. Since the profession primarily entails working with blood, it’s not for the faint of heart. Taking phlebotomy classes gives hopefuls all they need to understand the occupation in terms of the science involved.
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Benefits of Education
Why Go to School for Phlebotomy?
Earn More
A career in phlebotomy can lead to financial stability. The average phlebotomist salary is $35,000 per year but some can earn as much as $50,000 per year depending on their skill set and experience. This type of salary can go even higher if you specialize in a certain area such as blood banking or emergency medicine.
Learn More
When you go to school for phlebotomy, you will be able to learn about all aspects of this field, from cardiovascular disease to blood pressure. This knowledge can help you in many ways throughout your career, as well as give you a better understanding of what goes on in the body.
Gain Valuable Experience
The more experience you have in phlebotomy, the better your chances are of landing a job or promotion within the field. Going back to school for additional training shows employers that you are dedicated and willing to go above and beyond for their business.
Credentials
After completing an online or on-campus program at one of our schools, students tend to feel more confident about entering the workforce and performing their duties as phlebotomists without supervision from another health professional like a physician or nurse practitioner.
Time
How Long Does It Take?
The amount of time it takes to become a phlebotomist varies from state to state. In some states, you can take a six-week course and be ready for the national certification exam. In other states, you will need to take a longer course and pass both the national exam and your state’s licensing test.
You can also become certified by taking courses online or at a community college. Most programs are 16–24 weeks long, but if you already have some medical experience, you may be able to complete the program in less time.
The number of courses required for an associate’s degree in phlebotomy can vary by state; however, most programs consist of at least 50 hours of classroom time and 100 hours of clinical practice.
Program Options
Certificate
Certificate programs can be completed in as little as a few months and are designed to prepare students for entry-level jobs. Certificates typically don’t require any prerequisites, but they often include hands-on practice in an accredited training facility. Some schools also offer certificates that you can earn while taking classes at the same time.
Degrees
Degrees take longer to earn and generally require prior education or experience in the medical field. They usually consist of two years of classroom instruction and clinical training, although some schools offer accelerated programs that allow students to complete their degrees more quickly.
Coursework
What Kind of Classes Will You Take?
Phlebotomy training programs typically include both classroom instruction and hands-on training. Some courses you might take include:
- Clinical procedures (including drawing blood)
- Medical terminology
- Basic anatomy and physiology
- Microbiology
You should know that there is no single curriculum used by all schools offering this type of training program; each institution may have its specific requirements regarding coursework and hours of study required before graduation.
Some programs require students to complete an externship where they get hands-on experience working with patients under supervision; others do not require this step but still provide opportunities for externships through networking with local hospitals or clinics that offer these services free of charge as part of their training programs.
Skills You Can Learn
The skills you can learn at a phlebotomy school are:
- Taking blood samples
- Using various types of equipment including syringes, needles, and vacuums
- Identifying abnormal results from lab tests
- Transporting specimens to labs
- Labeling and storing samples
License & Certification
The most well-known certification program is the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) certification. The ASCP offers a Phlebotomy Technician Certification Exam that can be taken online or in person at an ASCP-approved testing center.
The National Phlebotomy Association offers an online phlebotomy training program that leads to a national certification exam.
Career Overview
What Do They Do?
Defining the Job
The basic phlebotomy duties include drawing blood from patients or donors. Workers then prepare the samples to send to labs. Occasionally, phlebotomists must collect additional specimens from patients, though this hinges mainly on where they work.
Pros and Cons of the Field
As a full-time position in the healthcare industry, phlebotomy jobs provide stability. People who enjoy working with the public get to put in plenty of facetime with others, and those who like science build a career in their desired field.
Drawbacks include spending entire shifts standing and needing to be constantly meticulous about labeling. Given the repetitive nature of the job, diligence proves even harder.
What Do Phlebotomy Schools Teach?
Though phlebotomy certificates aren’t strictly necessary, they do help upcoming professionals prepare for life in the field. Furthermore, most employers prefer to hire workers with formal education.
A phlebotomy degree includes classes on anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology. Laboratory safety is also integral to the education process. Hands-on phlebotomy training teaches hopefuls:
- Venipuncture techniques
- How to perform a fingerstick
- Proper use of the lab equipment
- The technique for drawing blood from newborns, elderly, and children
What Are Phlebotomy Job Duties?
In addition to knowing proper techniques for drawing blood, phlebotomists must assess which one proves most appropriate for each patient. Once finished, they must perform labeling and data entry. Accuracy is very import in these positions.
Other job duties center around being calm in the face of nervous patients and using people skills to ensure a smooth procedure. Finally, if phlebotomists work in a lab, they may also take part in processing the samples.
What Type of Skills Should Phlebotomists Possess?
While phlebotomy jobs are pretty straightforward, they do require a lot of patience and specialized training. Working in a medical field means extensive science knowledge and a sharp mind serve employees well.
Since this is a healthcare job, compassion also goes a long way, and well-developed communication skills put people at ease. Friendly, laidback individuals help patients feel comfortable while drawing their blood.
Finally, being a stickler for process helps phlebotomists excel. Though it’s tempting to let repetition lead to sloppiness and mistakes, industry professionals must be diligent to avoid costly errors.
How Do Phlebotomists Maintain Their Workspace?
As is the case with all healthcare professionals, sanitation remains a huge deal when it comes to work environment. Properly cleaning all phlebotomy equipment after each use stops contamination from happening.
Additionally, maintaining a clean workspace allows samples to remain as pure as possible. This helps to get accurate results.
Since professionals work with delicate lab equipment, they need to learn how to care for the following phlebotomy tools:
- Syringes
- Blood culture bottles
- Tourniquets
- Centrifuges
Why do Phlebotomists Need the Ability to Soothe Patients?
As most other aspects of the job involve a lot of repetition, the patients that phlebotomists see provide a bit of unpredictability. While this helps make the work engaging, it can also be the most challenging part of any phlebotomy career.
In order to draw blood without injury or incident, a patient must remain still and relaxed. Since fear of needles is a common phobia, being able to calm a frightened individual proves one of the most useful phlebotomy skills one can possess.
What Are Useful Skills for People in This Field?
- Physical stamina helps phlebotomists remain on their feet through the day
- A passion for lab work keeps the job interesting
- Compassion and sympathy aid phlebotomists in calming nervous individuals
- Being detail-oriented ensures all information entered into databases is correct
- Meticulousness helps limit mislabeled samples
- Emotional stamina allows professionals to shake off interacts with difficult patients
- Having a steady hand makes the whole process go smoothly
- Dexterous and careful people make sure equipment doesn't break
Are There Special Requirements for Phlebotomy Jobs?
People who enter the industry right out of high school typically receive some hands-on phlebotomy training. Experience in a clinical setting helps newly employed workers feel comfortable on the job and offers them something to add to their phlebotomy resume.
However, in order to qualify for most jobs in the field, workers need some postsecondary education and a certificate from a program like those offered at phlebotomy trade schools. While it is not a phlebotomy requirement, the diploma may put job hopefuls ahead of the competition.
Standard phlebotomy certificates come from:
- The National Healthcareer Association
- American Society for Clinical Pathology
- National Phlebotomy Association
- American Medical Technologists
What Is the Outlook for
Phlebotomy Jobs?
There will always be people needing medical attention, and therefore there will always be a need for the gathering and processing of blood samples. In fact, the demand for phlebotomy jobs continues to grow faster than for most other professions.
To meet this growing demand, employers offer stability, generous salary packages, and plenty of phlebotomy benefits. Pay can land anywhere between $34,000 and $50,000 a year, depending largely on experience and phlebotomy education.
Work environment can impact pay as well. Outpatient centers have a tendency to offer higher wages, where working in the ambulatory healthcare services may garner lower pay rates.
As for benefits, the most common rewards offered to full-time phlebotomists include:
- Healthcare coverage, including dental and vision benefits
- Paid time off
- Continuing education assistance
- Access to 401(k) retirement plans
What Should Workers Expect?
A first day on the job should never be too overwhelming. Therefore, most hospitals, offices, and donation centers have training programs in place to help kick start long phlebotomy careers. New employees can expect to shadow established workers or have a team of seasoned professionals ready to assist them.
Typically, new jobs also offer tutorials on using their computer systems and make sure new hires know where to find all the equipment.
Where Can Prospects Find Work?
Hospitals remain the primary employer when it comes to phlebotomy careers. Various departments require their services. Since associates send samples to them for testing, diagnostic labs are the second largest provider of phlebotomy jobs. Having the blood drawn on-site streamlines the whole process.
Phlebotomists also work in office settings such as for family physicians or in outpatient care. Additionally, a percentage of professionals work with donation centers.
Can Phlebotomists Travel?
A percentage of blood collection services have mobile operations. They travel around to schools and other places with lots of people willing and able to donate blood. Phlebotomy work with these enterprises requires minimal moving around, but hopefuls should prepare for job-related travel nonetheless.
What Are Alternate Careers for Phlebotomists?
Since phlebotomy degrees involve training in the medical field, it’s a fairly transferrable skill. Workers may only need minimal additional education to transition into careers as:
- Lab Technicians
- Medical Assistants
- Medical Transcriptionists
- Veterinary Technician or Assistant
The attention to detail required in labeling and recording data for blood samples proves necessary for all these jobs. Additionally, the phlebotomy skill of working with diverse people’s sensibilities is relevant.
Interview with a Phlebotomy Graduate
An interview with Ali Llamas, a phlebotomy graduate from Empire College in Santa Rosa, CA.
Q: What program exactly did you complete at Empire College?
Phlebotomy certificate. I finished my program in December. I did my externship the week before Christmas.
Q: How long was the program?
11 weeks, but mine lasted a little longer because I did it around the holidays.
Q: Did you go to school on a full-time or part-time basis?
The Phlebotomy program is from 4:30 to 6 Monday through Thursday.
Q: Were you happy with the training that you received?
Absolutely.
Q: What was the most difficult part of the program for you?
Well it’s school, it’s challenging, especially with people who work full time. I was lucky enough not to have to work full time. Also, I had taken a medical assisting program that helped me out a lot having taken it first. It helps with already knowing circulation and flow of the blood, and the heart.
Q: About how many other students were in your classes?
About 14 students in the Phlebotomy program, medical assisting was much larger.
Q: What is your current career?
Medical Assisting.
Q: Describe a typical day in your current career?
Just helping people. I do some surgical assisting, and front office work. That is setting appointments, I give injections, set up EKGs.
Q: How did your training help you get into this career?
I did the medical assistant program first, and I did get my job through Empire College actually, they have job placement help. As a medical assistant, blood drawing is the most invasive thing you can do, but you don’t always have to do it. The medical assistant program gives you 5 weeks of introduction to phlebotomy and they do a good job, but it’s not enough to get you to sit for the tests nationally or the state exam if you want to be a phlebotomist. So as a medical assistant your job might require you to draw blood so 5 weeks, that’s good enough for the doctor who hires you.
Q: How would things be different for you if you hadn’t received this training?
Not in my current job, they wouldn’t, but it is helpful. It just looks good on the resume, as a medical assistant you have that intro, 5 weeks, but it is drawing blood. To get even more training to draw, the phlebotomy program is even much more helpful. I like having the extra practice, if that includes drawing blood, I’m super skilled in that now. Also, the externship at Kaiser helped me realize I don’t want to draw blood 8 hours a day, every day. I do think every school has to offer an externship with the program.
Q: What was the most important class/lesson from the program?
The hands on skills of the actual blood drawing.
Q: How much did it cost for you to complete the program?
A little over $2,000.
Q: Did you receive any financial aid or scholarships? Which ones? Were these easy to obtain?
I didn’t need it.
Q: Were any of your classes online?
No.
Q: Did you consider other programs?
I looked at the St. Rosa Community College, but they were fully enrolled at the time.
Q: Why did you choose the one you did?
Empire’s a great school, and I was already familiar with one of the teachers. She’s a highly skilled phlebotomist, she’s extremely encouraging. I mean, it’s drawing blood. It’s not easy and it can be really intimidating, so she’s there to help you get your nerves together. I just really like the professionalism and everything. Even though they are more expensive I was already familiar with the school.
Q: What other programs did you consider? Why did you choose the one that you did?
I had an opportunity to go to school up to a year so the medical assistant program was six months so I decided to take advantage of the rest of the time I had. I knew the phlebotomy program would give me another certificate so possibly I could get more jobs and also just have that extra practice. You’re more skilled.
Q: Would you recommend this school to someone else?
Absolutely. They’re very professional especially for someone who’s younger and doesn’t have a lot of job experience they make sure you really take it seriously. It’s extremely fast-paced you have to be on top of things. They have tutors that they provide, and they do help you with financial aid if you need it. The people at the front desk, teachers and even the president – they all want to see you succeed. In the end the student has to put the work in, but they are very dedicated to their students.
Q: For your particular program, are there any special licenses or certifications that you need to receive before getting a job? If so, what are they and what do they entail, and will you get them by the time you graduate?
Under the medical assistant certificate you are allowed to draw blood but it won’t allow you to be a phlebotomist. If you want to be just a phlebotomist, you have to take the program, then you become certified with the school which allows you to sit on a national exam it’s a long process, but they do give you all the information. You do have to do it yourself.
They have a prometric testing center on the school campus so for their certificate programs, you can take your national or state exams at that school. For medical assisting you need to take a state exam, and you don’t necessarily need that school certificate, you can do it through work experience then you can take the state exam, but you’re more likely to get a job when you have it this way, to prove you went through the school program.
Q: Any other advice to those considering a similar program?
In order to be a phlebotomist or a medical assistant, you need to make sure you like working with people. You do your lists of pros and cons. For example, lets say you work in pediatrics, do you want to work with kids? Really you have to figure out what your values are. If you’re not a people person you probably shouldn’t be working in medical fields.