10 things to consider before getting your phlebotomy certification

Phlebotomy Certification is an examination that a trained phlebotomist needs to complete in order to get into the profession. Although in most of the countries it is not compulsory yet the trend is catching up very fast. Many people choose phlebotomy as their career in medical field because it does not require long years of study and is also not very expensive.

As a matter of fact the study course requires only a few months. In addition, it is very reasonable and the employment that they can get after the certification is in hospitals, blood banks, doctor’s office, medical laboratories etc. However, before getting your Phlebotomy Certification there are some 10 things that you need to consider. They are as mentioned in the following lines.

1. Research about Phlebotomy: Before undergoing a certification exam, you need to do a thorough research about the job requirements and the duties of a phlebotomist. You might be aware that they collect blood. However, there are many aspects to just drawing blood. The person should be aware of how to find the vein to draw and collect blood, how to handle tubes, needles, bags and various other equipments.

In addition, the person should be able to interact properly with sick people and gather information from them correctly. Also if the patient is nervous they should calm them down. A phlebotomist must be able to carry out smoothly different procedures like labelling the equipment appropriately etc. 

2. Phlebotomy Courses and Training: You need to start a phlebotomy course if you wish to obtain Phlebotomy Certification. There are courses which range from 4 months and up to 24 months. Shorter courses are offered by Vocational Schools whereas community colleges offer longer courses. The curriculum of the courses varies among the schools. However, all of them focus on the main points such as human anatomy, lab procedures, blood drawing techniques and others. All the courses will have theoretical and practical teaching methods.

3. Search for the right training course for Phlebotomy: It is not difficult to join a training course for phlebotomy. Moreover, you only require a high school degree to get into these courses. Further, many community colleges and technical schools have started offering this certification course. Therefore, it becomes difficult to make the right choice. However, it is of great importance to choose the appropriate training course for Phlebotomy Certification because it will help you clear the exams in one go.

4. Check whether you require certification to pursue phlebotomy in your state: The requirement may vary as per the state laws. Therefore, before pursuing the certificate course enquire whether it is compulsory in your state to have a license. If not then you can join a company and pursue later but if it is compulsory then you need to find the best institute and start the course.

5. Register for Phlebotomy certification test: There is an online registration which you need to complete if you wish to give the test. You cannot just come to the test site and then expect to give the test. During the registration online you will be given some particular time and dates from which you can choose. A fee will be charged during the registration of Phlebotomy Certification. After you have chosen the date you can appear the test on that particular date. If you do not turn up on the scheduled date then you will not get your fees back. You will have to pay again for another attempt. Further, you need to show photo identification or else you will not be allowed to appear the test.  Phlebotomy Certification test is a computer generated test and consist of multiple choice questions.

6. Work Environment Options: With reference to the work environment you can choose from various options. You can work in the office of a doctor, lab, hospital, research firms, clinics, blood banks and pharmaceutical companies. All the above mentioned work-place has a different working environment. Therefore, first consider which option is best suitable and then decide to commit to that position.

7. Specialize Your Training: After you have finalized on which environment you wish to stay, the next thing you need to do is specialize your training as per that particular environment. This will differentiate you from others. If you wish to work in a lab then you can learn the laboratory skills. You can also learn to perform EKG (Electrocardiography) tasks. This equipment is used to interpret heart ailments. Therefore, you can specialize in operating EKG equipment for the doctors to read the interpretations. 

8. Complement Your Skills: Today computer skills are required in every field. Therefore, as it is a competitive field you need to add this complementary skill along with your Phlebotomy Certification. If you wish to go beyond the basic technology skills of collecting blood, storing and testing which everyone in this field is aware of then you should learn this added skill. This will help you stay ahead of the competition.

You can gain expertise in word processing, data entry and spreadsheets. This will be useful when you have to maintain records, track inventory, draft the doctor’s memo etc. You can search for a phlebotomy program that provides computer skills along with the basics of medical terminology.

9. Always be conscious of the Competition: When you choose to become a phlebotomist you need to be always aware that there is a lot of competition in this field. This is because this profession is gaining lot of popularity in the current period as the health industry is booming. Therefore, you should think about how to stand out in the crowd and get the best job opportunities.

10. The earnings of a certified phlebotomist: Career wise phlebotomy is a very well-paying occupation. In some states the average expected salary of a phlebotomist is $ 29,359 (approximately) which is not bad at all. However, it may vary according to different state but is a very stable career option. So, if you are interested go ahead and get a Phlebotomy Certification.