If you’re interested in attending school for phlebotomy, you obviously want to know whether the training will actually be worth your time. Not only that, you don’t want to spend money on your education, if you’re not going to reap any benefit in the end. You’ll be happy to know the field of phlebotomy is projected to be a wonderful area of study to enter into.
Their Duties and Responsibilities
A phlebotomist is responsible for gathering blood and other samples from human beings for diagnostic purposes. In some instances, they may be required to test the specimens they collect or at least prepare them. Generally, a phlebotomist works in a laboratory, in a clinic, in a hospital, a nursing home or in a physician’s office. The specifics of their duties is determined by their place of employment, since a phlebotomist in a laboratory will do more testing than specimen collecting, while one in a hospital will complete more blood draws and far less time testing samples.
Average Wages
Depending on the location where you work will be the deciding factor on your pay. For instance, you can expect to earn on average $12.50 an hour in a hospital, states the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This averages to be an annual income of about $26,000 per year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, phlebotomists working in private clinics make about the same. Those who are hired to work in a physician’s office can expect a slightly higher paycheck, since they earn about $13 per hour. This figure average out to the equivalent of $27,040 per year.
Phlebotomist Job Outlook
If you’re looking for a job with stability, this is definitely a choice you want to consider. Since people will always need to have medical testing done, people in this field will always be able to find work. In fact, the BLS deems phlebotomy and other clinical jobs to have excellent job opportunities. The BLS projects that jobs in this field will grow quickly. Their exact figure is that clinical laboratory jobs like phlebotomy will increase from 14 percent from 2008 until 2018. The Bureau of Labor Statistics foresees a majority of these positions arising in hospitals; however, employment opportunities in labs, clinics, ambulatory services and physician’s offices will grow, as well. The BLS even declares that the number of jobs in this field is expected to exceed the number of people in this field.