Archive for the ‘Phlebotomy Training’ Category
Phlebotomist Training
April 5th, 2011 | 
Author: Formerly blood samples were taken by nurses, doctors or laboratory technicians taught through on the job training. However as health care and the medical profession advanced and became more diverse, the need for allied health personnel increased. This included the need for trained persons to assume the responsibility for taking blood samples safely and efficiently. More recently phlebotomist training programs have become available at many technical colleges although some hospitals still offer on the job training to their employees.
Requirements To Enter Phlebotomist Program Usually a high school diploma or GED certification is satisfactory. Prospective students must demonstrate the ability and willingness to work with blood products and bodily fluids comfortably. Able to follow directions and having the desire to work with people are also necessary to become a phlebotomist.
Curriculum for Phlebotomist The phlebotomy program focuses on certain areas of study in which the student must be proficient upon graduation. These include:
1. Human anatomy showing the pathway of the various veins throughout he body and the need of the phlebotomist to identify the ones most viable for obtaining a specimen.
2. Needle techniques such as the application of gloves and the correct way to introduce the needle into a vein with ease and comfort to the patient. Also the different tools of the trade such as tourniquets, different size syringes and other articles used in the process of obtaining blood specimen.
3. Medical safety guidelines: Most institutions have certain guidelines concerning safety in the handling of fluids from the human body. This includes blood and blood products. The phlebotomist must be familiar with this and be able to practice it safely when performing a procedure.
4. Record keeping: Recording of services performed will be instructed although methods may vary with different institutions.
Qualification requirements vary according to state. The minimum required by phlebotomist however, is performing 25-100 successful vein punctures and five capillary samples. This means obtaining blood by the pricking of a finger, earlobe or other parts of the body for a small amount of specimen.
Duties Of The Phlebotomist The duties performed by a phlebotomist will center largely on puncturing the veins of patients to obtain blood samples for laboratory testing or for intravenous therapy. This is a very precise discipline as one slip of the hand can cause extensive damage to nearby nerves of the patients arm. It takes a lot of practice and precision on the part of the phlebotomist to pierce the vein at the right angle with ease to prevent excessive loss of blood and as much discomfort to the patient as possible.
Because of the hazardous nature of this profession, in the form of risks of infection to both patient and phlebotomist, training in the safe handling of infectious materials and disposing of used instruments such as needles and syringes are rigidly ingrained in the phlebotomist.
Types Of Programs available There are different programs available for phlebotomy training and this could be an entry level for upward mobility in a medical career for those so inclined. Among the programs available are the following; Eight weeks to six months training course 2 Years Associate degree program 4 Years Bachelors of Science in Phlebotomy Vocational programs are offered at many community colleges across the nation.
Many medical students completed training in phlebotomy and worked in that field while in training, as well as many phlebotomists went on to medical school to become medical doctors.
Whatever the program decided on certification on completion should be provided. This will give credibility and authenticity to the program and to your abilities as a phlebotomist.
Cost Of Phlebotomist Training program Cost of training varies according to program selected and school attended. An eight weeks course at a vocational school would be far less expensive than a 2 years associate program. Programs are available and convenient to match any budget. A basic program can be completed for as little as $500 and then upward for the more advanced programs.
The salary scale for Phlebotomists depends on the institution you choose to work for. However the average salary is approximately $25,000 to $27,000 annually. In any setting this will more than compensate for the cost of the program.
Phlebotomists can enjoy the benefits of stable income working in such places as hospitals, clinics, private doctor’s offices, research labs, blood banks and drug testing centers. The scope for employment is very wide and once qualified finding a job should not be difficult.
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Phlebotomy Classes
There are many things that a student will learn during training to become a phlebotomist. The skills of a phlebotomist are a great mixture of empathy, and skill. If a student cannot learn the proper way to express empathy while in training to become a phlebotomist then the student may not be able to become employed following training. Having empathy for the patients is important; because, the patients may be concerned about their health, and the phlebotomist is supposed to console the patient and let the patient know that everything will be okay.
The field of phlebotomy has become quite popular over the past 2 decades. Prior to the specialization of phlebotomy the samples of blood were drawn by a nurse. Today, that job has been given to the specialists of phlebotomy, so while in training to become a phlebotomist a student will learn the exact method of withdrawing blood from the vein. Students will learn many techniques to drawing blood from a patient. After all there are many veins, and areas that the blood can be withdrawn from. For instance, sometimes the phlebotomist will need to withdrawal the blood from the hand, or another area of the body. While going through the educational training a student will learn the proper techniques to withdrawing blood from areas other than the arm.
During specialized training to become a phlebotomist a student will have to do many hours of hands on training. Students will perform the task of withdrawing blood from patients while in school. Educators have found that if a student learns the proper techniques of withdrawing blood while in school, and students get hands on training then students are better prepared to perform the duties of a phlebotomist while on the job. Students will also be doing many hours of research in the library, and doing many assignments from the book. So while receiving an education to become a phlebotomist students learn both from a book, and hands on training.
During training students learn the proper way to sterilize the needles and dispose of bio-hazard material. These are both very important techniques for students of phlebotomy to learn, and especially the proper way to dispose of the needles, and the proper way to dispose of the bio-hazard material. Also, students will learn how to protect themselves from coming into direct contact with a patient’s bodily fluids. Sometimes, it will be unavoidable to come in direct contact with a patients bodily fluids while working directly with blood; however, students of phlebotomy training will learn how the proper way of minimizing any blood born pathogens from exposing other staff, and patients.
Training to become a phlebotomist can be in as little as one year. There are some programs offering training to become a phlebotomist in just one year. The most recommended training to become a phlebotomist is to obtain at least an associate’s degree in phlebotomy. However, there are programs offering a bachelor’s degree in phlebotomy. Whatever program a student decides to go with a student needs to do homework before choosing a school. The most important part of researching schools is to make sure that whatever program a student chooses will be accredited. There are also many different types of accreditation that schools can have. This is going to be an important part of picking a school as well.
The salary a phlebotomist can expect to earn is going to be competitive, and salaries for a phlebotomist range anywhere from $20,000 to $45,000. The salary one can expect to earn right from college will depend on the type of training that the student received. If a student rushed through a training program in a mere one year course then the student can expect to earn $20,000 to start. However, if the student earned a bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited college, or university then the student can expect to earn a higher starting salary. If a student earned an associate’s degree, then the student can expect to earn somewhere between the 2. When the phlebotomist begins to acquire some on the job training then the phlebotomist will begin to earn raises. During the lifetime career a phlebotomist can expect to earn up to $45,000 per year.
Phlebotomy Certification Schools
The field of phlebotomy is growing and by 2016 the field of phlebotomy and laboratory support is expected to expand 16 percent. Part of the reason for this is thanks to the growing number of laboratory tests that have become available. Phlebotomists are often employed for doctors and hospitals working in the lab department. They are responsible for drawing blood from patients for testing. Phlebotomists must be certified in order to be employed. There are many different schools that offer phlebotomy certification courses. Finding the right school for you is not that hard. Start locally, if your city or town offers a local technical college or trade school they will probably offer a phlebotomy course. If you do not live in an area that has either one of these schools checking with members of the local medical community can also help you find a school, there are some hospitals and doctor’s offices that will offer on the job training and they may even assist in paying for any additional schooling or certification that is needed for you to become successful. Another great resource to help you find the right phlebotomy school is the internet. The internet is full of web sites that can offer you help. Certain sites will assist you in finding schools in the area that you live in, you simply enter your town or city and state and they will get the information for you. There are also links to potential employers that can provide training for you. Proper training is required in order to safely and effectively work in a laboratory drawing blood. Trained and Certified phlebotomist can expect to make between 25,000 and 30,000 dollars a year in the United States. Salary can vary depending on the laboratory setting that the phlebotomist works.
Students are not just required to learn how to perform venipunctures, finger sticks and heel sticks on infants but they must also learn the anatomy of the human body as well as how to interact with patients. Many people are not comfortable with the thought of having their blood drawn and phlebotomist that are caring and patient can often ease the patient’s feelings.
Become a Phlebotomy Technician
Phlebotomy is the word for collecting blood. A Phlebotomy Technician is a person that is trained to remove blood by venipucture. Venipuncture simply means puncturing the vein for blood drawing. Sometimes it is in very small amounts and at other several one or more tubes may be drawn for various types of testing. Simple finger-sticks are all that is required at times for the technician. What is called heel sticks are often performed on new-born babies to check for diseases. The Phlebotomist plays a very important role in the doctor’s diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient. Without his help a doctor wouldn’t know what might be afflicting his patient.
Phlebotomy is a rapidly growing field. Although most states do not require certification almost all clinics and health care facilities wish to employ only those with certification. For employability, it will be easier securing a position if you do become certified. These workers reduce the work-load of doctors and nurses by handling blood collection and freeing them up for other job duties. There are techniques and specific standards to meet in order to minimize liability and ensure patient safety.
Most of the time the Phlebotomist is trained to draw the blood from the wrist area which is the brachial artery or from the antecubital artery which is the bend in the arm area. They are trained make the draw as quick as possible and to make it as pain-free as they can for the patients sake.
Phlebotomy Technicians are trained to accurately label and store specimens for delivery to labs. They must be certain none of the collections are contaminated. Data entry is required to store the patients information into computers. Sometimes they are required to do some clerical work as well.
Some Phlebotomist’s are required to go to nursing homes and outpatient clinics and collect blood samples to return to the laboratory for testing. The term used for this practice is called domiciliary service.
A person can become certified on average of ten months. It will then be necessary to sit for the National Phlebotomy Certification exam. The cost for training is usually eight hundred to one thousand dollars.
Phlebotomy Programs
Phlebotomists have a key role in the medical field. They can work in a doctor’s office or even a hospital. A phlebotomist not only draws blood, but they also must learn how to deal with frightened patients, being organized and be keen record keepers. Some phlebotomists learn their trade directly through a doctor’s office. The majority of today’s phlebotomists earn their certificates in a phlebotomy program.
There are several different ways to earn a certificate in phlebotomy. There are 1 year phlebotomy programs that are offered through technical schools. These schools will award diplomas. A student could also choose a 2 year associate’s degree program which are offered at community colleges. Some states do require phlebotomists to be licensed or registered. A state health department or board of occupational licensing will be able to give you more information on what your state will require of you.
Prospective phlebotomists, wishing to learn the procedures for drawing blood, can attain their certificates by taking phlebotomy programs that last 12 weeks or less. These programs cover just the basics of blood collection theory and include many hours of clinical practice in a doctor’s office or hospital.
Proficiency in phlebotomy theory and techniques can be attained by taking a 12 week 4 credit course or a 2 semester medical technician certificate program. These programs also cover blood collection, collections of other types of samples, manual testing, computerized testing and results reporting. Associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs in medical technology will contain coursework in phlebotomy. However, it is not as specialized as most employers want.
Some online schools offer certificate training in phlebotomy. All the learning of terminology, procedures, and techniques are achieved. However, a student will also have to be involved in clinicals. This is where they get to actually put what they have learned into practice. This last step is always done under supervision.
Employers will be more likely to offer you a job if you are a certified phlebotomist. So training “on the job” isn’t recommended. There are more than 50 phlebotomy courses that are accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. A prospective student can also check the American Society for Clinical Pathology, which is another agency that approves programs for certified phlebotomists.