Phlebotomists play a crucial role in medical care.
They are the professionals charged with the drawing of blood for lab tests and for transfusions.
On top of drawing blood, which is their main duty, phlebotomists also keep records, handle patients, take patient vital signs and store blood samples in the right conditions.
Phlebotomy as a career choice is quite attractive as it is well-paying, stable, rewarding and with lots of job opportunities.
How To Become A Phlebotomist – Theoretical
If you are interested in becoming a phlebotomist you should first and foremost have the stomach for seeing and handling blood.
Phlebotomists usually work in hospital settings so should be able to deal with the stressful environment in hospitals.
You should carry out some research on how to become a phlebotomist in order to arm yourself with the relevant information.
The first step towards a career as a phlebotomist is enrolling in a phlebotomist training program.
Minimum qualification to enroll in a phlebotomy class is a GED or a high school diploma.
These classes are offered at medical schools, community colleges, vocational school or universities. Some hospitals also offer phlebotomy classes at regular intervals.
The classes cover a wide range of topics all related to the practice of phlebotomy.
A core component is human anatomy where students learn about all the bodily systems such as the nervous system, the circulatory system and the muscular system.
Students are also taught about the process of drawing blood, the instruments used, how blood is stored and safety procedures.
Safety is of paramount importance as there is the possibility of contamination of the samples and infection of the phlebotomist from the samples.
Phlebotomy course will also incorporate a practical segment.
How To Become A Phlebotomist – Practical
Students are given the opportunity to practice their skills on live patients under strict supervision by a practicing phlebotomist.
The hands on training is easily the most important part of the course.
It is not possible to get phlebotomy certification without having some practical experience.
After completing the course, a student can take the certification exam. The exam also incorporates a theoretical portion and a practical one.
The exam is set by any one of the certifying bodies and a student must pass this exam before getting phlebotomy certification.
There are many schools offering phlebotomy training but you should only enroll at an accredited school otherwise your qualification will not be recognized.
It is very easy to check the accreditation status of any school. The certifying bodies will usually have a list on their websites of the accredited schools.
There you have it. This intro in this growing career should help you answer the question, how to become a phlebotomist?
