Venipuncture

When considering the possibility of becoming a phlebotomist, taking the time to find the best phlebotomy schools in your area, is something you must do. Regardless of where you choose to get your training, it is essential to go to the best schools in order to ensure you get the training you need if you want to excel in this industry. Taking the time to compare a listing of the local phlebotomy schools in your area, what they offer, and how well known they are, will help you in choosing the right school when it’s time to register.

Course offerings -
In selecting the phlebotomy schools ,there are things to consider other than  cost. Some important things are basic biology and chemistry courses.  How many complex methods of  drawing blood there are and in what  scenarios would you use them. Making sure the school offers the proper training is also crucial. Which bring us to our next point…

Accreditation-
When choosing the phlebotomy schools you are going to attend, making sure it is an accredited school. This is not only going to ensure you get a job upon completion of training , but it is also going to ensure that you get the higher paying positions when you do decide on the places to  apply.  The better the school, and the more well known the it is, the more likely it is that you will find the positions you are after upon completing your training.

The time to complete courses -
When you choose to go in to the field of phlebotomy, there are different time periods you are going to stay in school, depending on which route you choose. So, in selecting the phlebotomy schools to register with, you are also going to want to look in to those that offer full time as well as part time options.There are even some which offer an accelerated style program, for those who are hoping to get their certification as quickly as possible. The more options you have  when selecting your phlebotomy schools, and the programs the easier it is going to be to narrow down the schools which offer the best fit for you, and the time period that you want to complete the courses in.

Considering other factors -
When you decide to start up in any phlebotomy schools, you should consider all external factors as well. Whether you are currently working, whether you have experience in the industry as a phlebotomist, whether you have the time to take classes due to family life or other worries you have in your day to day life. Whatever external issues there are, which may interfere with your schooling, are all factors one should consider when you are deciding whether or not you are going to enroll in a phlebotomy school, and how long you are going to take to complete the program once you do decide to enroll in to a program.

Considering all factors, and taking the time to find the best local phlebotomy schools in your area, are some things that have to be done if you are looking to get in to the industry and work as a phlebotomist. No matter what career path you are on, or whether or not you currently have any experience in the field of phlebotomy, making sure you decide on the top phlebotomy schools to get your training, and to learn the proper techniques.

In order to have a career in phlebotomy, it is true that you do not need to have proper phlebotomy certification in order to practice as a phlebotomist. However, there are many reasons why you should seek to gain this qualification and this article aims to outline the reasons why a certification is something worth pursuing.

Why Should You Seek To Qualify For Phlebotomist Certification?

The simple reason is that although it is only Louisiana and California that have strict rules that state that anyone who is not clinical lab scientists, nurses or doctors should be licensed before drawing blood, it will still be very hard for an uncertified phlebotomist to get work if they lived in a state that didn’t have direct laws. What your phlebotomy certification will tell a future employer is that you are educated to a level that is set out by an official body within that field of study. There are 3 main bodies that control certification for venipuncture: American Society For Clinical Pathology; Association of Phlebotomy Technicians; National Phlebotomy Association.

What Do Each Of The Accredited Bodies Require To Grant A Phlebotomy Certification

We will now look briefly at what is involved in  phlebotomy training through each of these bodies starting with the ASCP or American Society For Clinical Pathology. If you have no previous experience, you are required to graduate with a high school education or an equivalent, complete 40 hours of classroom work, take part in 120 hours of practical training and complete successfully 100 unassisted blood collections.

The 40 hours of classroom work must include learning about – laboratory operations; the collection, handling and processing of specimens; the circulatory system or physiology and anatomy. Another stipulation set out by the ASCP is that the laboratory in which you serve as an intern must be controlled and operated in accordance with the Clinical Lab Improvement Amendment of 1988. This particular act was agreed upon by the United States Department of Health and Human Services to make sure that lab testing was of a high quality throughout America.

For the APT or Association of Phlebotomy Technicians they require that students and interns without a work experience complete successfully an officially certified phlebotomist training program; complete 100 documented and successful venipuncture’s, 5 skin punctures and are currently a member of the APT.

Finally, for the NPA or National Phlebotomy Association if you do not have the relevant experience as a phlebotomist for at least one full year, you will to successfully attend a phlebotomist training program to become certified. The course you participate in must include 160 hours of classroom time as well as additional clinical hands-on internship; a practical internship that involves a lot of hands-on experience in the field; and you should learn all you need to know about venipunctures.

Venipuncture Certification Can Mean Higher Earnings!

It is clear that by attending one these official bodies of training and education will enable you to qualify for phlebotomy certification. From an earnings point of view, this has a tremendous impact on your future. The average phlebotomist, depending on how much experience they have will earn anything from $26.494 to $40,576 a year. Though taking into consideration Pascale’s findings from their 2011 report, if you gain your phlebotomy certification with the ASCP, you could earn as much as $52,413 a year.

So if you are wondering whether it is worthwhile or not to take official phlebotomy classes from an accredited body such as the ASCP, NPA or APT – the evidence in this article really speaks for itself. Not only will you ensure that you are not easily overlooked for any job placement, give you the confidence that you have trained to a high level with a highly regarded training body and that you are highly skilled, but it will also ensure that you are not doing the same job as a fully certified phlebotomist but not making the same amount of money as them for the same type of work.