5 Things You Need to Know about Becoming a Phlebotomist Job Hunting

5 Things You Need to Know about Becoming a Phlebotomist

Are you considering a career as a phlebotomist? Here are some things you should know about this challenging yet rewarding career path.

Working as a phlebotomist can be an exciting career. Phlebotomists play an important role with helping physicians diagnose medical illnesses or conditions by collecting blood and other bodily fluids from their patients. Once the phlebotomist collects the specimen, they are responsible for make sure it gets to the lab for the proper tests to be performed. If you enjoy the medical field and are interested in becoming a phlebotomist, here are five things you should know.

Training

In order to become a phlebotomist, you will need to attend an accredited phlebotomist training program. The good news is that many of these training programs can be completed in less than two years. You will be required to learn and become familiar with the human anatomy, blood cells, and several of the body systems such as the circulatory system. You will also be taught how to draw blood and collect other type of specimens.

Interpersonal Skills Needed

One of the required skills needed to become a successful phlebotomist are good interpersonal skills. Phlebotomists must be able to interact with all types and ages of people and must have good communication skills. Many patients do not enjoy having their blood drawn. So it is up to the phlebotomist to make the patient feel at ease by explaining the entire process to them and getting the blood drawn on the first time if possible.

Medical Procedures

It is important that phlebotomists become very familiar with their place of employment medical procedures. During training, you will be taught on how to handle blood and bodily fluids specimens correctly along with directions on how to label and prepare them for transport to the lab. To prevent specimen mix-ups with different patients and contaminations, you must follow medical procedures at all times.

Job Growth

Currently, the jobs for phlebotomists are in high demand. It is predicated that the job growth for this career will grow by 14 percent. New phlebotomist graduates can find employment at their local hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices in their area. Most graduates start out their careers working at hospitals to gain more experience before moving on to better paying positions.

Salary

Like most careers, the salary for phlebotomists often varies based on experience, educational degrees, and location of the job. If you obtain a higher degree, your starting salary will be more than a person who just obtains a certificate. The average starting salary for a phlebotomist is around $25,000 per year. As you gain experience, you expect to earn around $27,000 or more per year.

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