Generally, the answer is a resounding yes! If you are a medical technologist, you must be equally skillful with phlebotomy, thus a phlebotomy degree is required. A phlebotomist is a skilled health professional who performs drawing of blood from clients for testing. They work in hospitals and medical laboratories. They also take the necessary vital signs of clients, discuss procedures with them and perform safe techniques in transporting, preserving or storing blood samples. Phlebotomy is an allied health degree and after getting certified, one may apply in a hospital or any healthcare facility where drawing of blood is needed for medical or laboratory tests as well as bloodletting activities.
Phlebotomy training can be easily achieved in a span of 3 to 6 months program with an accredited institution or through an online source. After which, certification can be acquired through the National Phlebotomy Association. A diploma program in phlebotomy can be finished in a year’s time. In addition, there is a more extensive program which is a Phlebotomy degree required by some hospitals that an individual must have. This degree can take at least 2 years to finish from a vocational institution or a community college, and thus earning an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree in Phlebotomy and may be able to practice it professionally afterwards.
A good phlebotomist does not only draw blood aseptically from clients and know how to take vital signs and explain procedures, but they must also know how to handle clients as well as safety precautions within the laboratory. They must also be able to familiarize different laboratory tests involving not just blood specimen but also other bodily fluids.
To become well-versed in phlebotomy, you are expected to learn about medical terminologies, basic Anatomy and Physiology (which deals extensively on blood, blood products, blood circulation, and blood vessels), proper procedures or techniques in venipuncture, fingerstick, arterial blood collection, and capillary puncture. Furthermore, you must also be adept with the basics in health sciences, phlebotomy clinical practice, legal matters, and etiquette and customer relations. Laboratory techniques, machines and devices must be learned by heart as a phlebotomist must know how to properly use these. Inside the laboratory, a good phlebotomist must be very careful with their activities for their safety as well as for the specimen they are working on.
Phlebotomy training can happen when you are already working in a hospital setting. However, having proper certification or a degree will most likely be good for your career advancement. Sometimes, there are certain laws in each state regarding the practice of phlebotomy. At the moment, the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) approves programs issued by course provider institutions for certified phlebotomists. Certified phlebotomists can usually get a salary from a range of $20,000 to about $50,000 annually, with an average of about $25,000/year. The trend of phlebotomy jobs are getting more popular this year and beyond and it is very important not only for creating new students to mold, but also creating more career opportunities.