Getting Started in Phlebotomy
After you receive your formal training to become a phlebotomist, you have the chance to work directly with patients drawing blood. Your job doesn’t stop there through, because you oftentimes are responsible for preparing the specimen for further testing, and in some cases conducting the blood tests. To be skilled in this field, you must receive the proper training, which begins with learning how to get started.
Prior to applying to different phlebotomy programs, you must first obtain your high school diploma. If you don’t know have one, a GED is accessible, too. While you’re in high school, you should decide if phlebotomy is the field you desire to be a part of, since you may opt to take classes to better prepare you for the training process. Take biology classes, so you gain knowledge about the body including on a molecular level, so you’re more familiarized with DNA. Biology courses provide you with insight on bodily organs and their functions, as well as the basics of anatomy.
Decide if you want to attend a 10-week, one-year or two-year program. The length of the program determines the certificate or diploma you receive and what kind of certification you’re eligible to obtain from the state. For instance, if you attend a 10-week course, you’ll receive training that focuses on hands-on experience, but you’ll only receive a certificate and be able to become state certified. On the contrary, if you attend a two-year program, you receive your associate’s degree in phlebotomy. Once you possess your associate’s, there isn’t a specific bachelor’s degree program for phlebotomy majors; instead, you may decide on a nursing program or another medical degree program.
Find a school that offers a program with your particular certificate or degree choice. Use our listings to locate a school near you. Some phlebotomy courses offer online learning, but you must have some hands-on experience drawing blood, so choose a facility based upon distance, because the second semester usually contains actually learning how to draw blood. Besides the distance factor, you’ll additionally want to compare schools for their accreditation, tuition cost and the class schedules they offer.
Fill out the necessary paperwork for the school of your choice. By using our database, you can find the forms you need to fill out for enrollment. Once the forms are complete, you’ll need to wait for your acceptance. Generally, this doesn’t take very long and you receive the notification via mail.
At this point, you’ll need to decide how you’re going to take care of tuition costs. To do so successfully, speak to a financial aid counselor who’ll educate you on your options. While student loans are one method to afford your training, there might be scholarships and grants to fund your education, especially if you’re enrolled in an associate’s degree program.
Begin taking the classes. You will receive everything you need, such as books and equipment from the facility. Tuition pays for these items, so you won’t be required to pay any other fees. More likely, the school will divide your education into two halves: one of which has formal education and the other that consists of both traditional learn and hands-on experience. While learning the different veins in the body is imperative to draw blood, the hands-on portion of your education provides you with the most vital aspect of your future career.
During your time dealing with actually drawing blood, you’ll need to come prepared, which typically means you’ll need to wear scrubs, no perfume, cologne or body spray, and no jewelry. The school supplies you with a winged infusion kit (including butterfly needles) and other necessities for collecting a blood sample.
Certain programs are dual phlebotomy programs. In other words, you study phlebotomy along with another subject matter. For example, you may enroll in a phlebotomy/EKG technician program, which gives you additionally training with EKGs. The school itself determines how this portion of the education is executed.
When you’ve completed your specific program, you’ll have the option to test for certification in your state. Although it’s not required, it’s recommended to increase your employment potential. Many hospitals, blood banks and such don’t hire without this.