Venipuncture Training

Phlebotomy Training Basics

If you desire a career in the lucrative medical field, becoming a phlebotomy technician may be just the right career choice for you. Phlebotomy is the art of extracting blood for all types of medical needs and it is a career that offers stability and the possibility for job growth.

In order to become a phlebotomist, not only should the sight of blood and bodily fluids not make you squeamish, but you should also be a caring person who can make each patient feel truly comfortable before you stick them with a needle (see Venipuncture Procedure). If you think you have what it takes to handle this type of a working environment on a daily basis, here are the ways you can become a phlebotomy technician.

Phlebotomy Training

Obviously, having a high school diploma or GED is a necessary requirement before entering a phlebotomy training program, but once you make it to the training program you be confident that it will not take a long amount of time for you to gain your phlebotomy certificate. Becoming a phlebotomist takes anywhere between 2 days to a year, and the length of time you spend on becoming a phlebotomist technician will dictate if you are awarded either the easier to get phlebotomy certificate, or the more advanced phlebotomy diploma.

If you want to obtain a phlebotomy certificate, you may want to enroll in a weekend phlebotomy training seminar that is offered by the American Phlebotomy Association. This short seminar will teach you all the basics you need to know to obtain your phlebotomy technician certificate in a very quick amount of time. The cost of such workshops are usually very affordable at $350, and once you get this certificate, you can began your career in the exciting field of phlebotomy.

Phlebotomy School

If you would rather go the phlebotomy diploma route, you must attend a phlebotomy school. Attending phlebotomy school takes a lot longer than certificate programs, but you will learn more extensive knowledge to become better prepared for the field of phlebotomy. If you need a longer time for phlebotomy training then phlebotomy school might be a better career choice. There will be rigorous test involved before you are officially awarded your phlebotomy diploma, but if you can pass all of the tests, you are well on your way to joining a lucrative career in phlebotomy.

Phlebotomy Jobs

As a phlebotomist, there are a wide variety of career opportunities for you to choose from. You can always work in a hospital setting, or you can choose to work in a variety of other places such as blood banks, clinical laboratories, research facilities, and private doctor offices.

Not only will being a phlebotomy technician open the doors to many career opportunities, but it is a potentially lucrative paying job with an hourly salary that begins at around $14.93 per hour and that is only the pay for someone just entering the field. The more experience you gain, the higher your pay will become. A phlebotomist salary will increase to about $50,000 per year according to employment and salary projections.

If you are looking for job stability in the growing medical field, and you truly love helping people, choosing to be a phlebotomy technician may be the best career choice you’ve ever made to guarantee yourself a real future.