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Phlebotomy Certification Exam

How to Get Ready for the Phlebotomy Certification Exam

If you are all set to take the phlebotomy certification exam, then it simply means that you are finished with the training course and you are one step closer to getting certified.

How you were trained and how well you performed in the certification course determines much how you are going to fare in the certifying exams. Enrollment in an accredited program that meets the quality and standards of the Clinical and Laboratory Sciences Institute (CLSI) is an advantage because such programs are designed to prepare students well for the certification process after graduation.

How to study for the exam? Do not be too confident even if you just finished your training program, questions are randomly selected from a pool of questions; you never know what items will be asked. It is helpful though to review basic subjects such as anatomy, physiology and laboratory procedures. Practice tests may also be used to simulate the real exam and to be familiar with items that may come out. Books such as “Essentials of Phlebotomy” is a good read since it covers knowledge that an examinee needs to know to pass the exam.

Since phlebotomy is primarily about venipuncture, be sure to get a good grasp of anatomy and the circulatory system particularly the venous system. Common puncture sites may be asked as well as proper techniques in doing venipuncture and skin puncture since a whole section of the certification exam is primarily about these topics.

Previous experience in the field can qualify one to take the examination for phlebotomy certification but those who took an 8-month long certification course are at an advantage because of the hours they spent on extensive lectures and skills training on the subjects that are covered in the written and practical component of the examination. If you did well in the training course and was diligent as a student then you should be confident in your competence to pass the tests. Phlebotomists who have been working in the field and want to get certified should study the right materials to ensure success as well.

A phlebotomy certification can easily land you a job in the health care area. A certified phlebotomist is an essential part of any laboratory, clinic or hospital. If you want a bright future in phlebotomy then consider getting certified; It will make a big difference in your career.

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Phlebotomy License

In order to obtain your Phlebotomy certification which then results in the candidate being issued with their Phlebotomy License, an examination has to be written and passed. Whoever conducts this examination, the state you live in or the US government, it is proof that a qualified Phlebotomist will be allowed to practice as a certified Phlebotomist. Not all US states insist in this certification, but in California – they are very strict – no license, no practice, no work.

The Importance of being a Licensed Phlebotomist

Whether the Phlebotomy study course took a year or 6 months to complete, or maybe even a 4 year long and involved degree, a license is required to show that you have reached the required standard to become a practicing Phlebotomist. Skill and experience are not enough – understand that very clearly. An uncertified Phlebotomist will not progress very well in her career as there will be this continual doubt in the employers mind about just how she qualified…

If medical science is your favorite subject, and a lot of interest is shown over the last year or so in the Phlebotomy career, then perhaps that is the path for you to follow. There are plenty of ‘on-the-job’ training courses with the emphasis on the practical nature of the job itself. And at the end of the course, find out about the certification examination and make sure the exam is taken and passed.

Without a license, mistakes can be made and they can turn into a very big issue for you if you are not protected by your license and you have no recourse to any backup from the accreditation agency. By not having a license, a person leaves himself wide open to be sued for malpractice suits and that is something really worth avoiding so early in a career.

How to Get a Phlebotomy License?

What is the procedure to follow to get a Phlebotomy license? Well, whatever school you are studying at, you have to complete the minimum number of courses they require for Phlebotomy certification. The study course must have met the Health Department guidelines set out in that State. A year or so of experience helps expand the knowledge base. States all differ in their expectations of students qualifications, but the norm is around 1 000 hours of work as a Phlebotomist in the laboratory. This counts very well towards one’s license requirements.

There are many certification schools around and agencies online who offer certification courses. At the end of it, a written examination takes place, as well as a demonstration of skills of what has been learnt and whether it has been put into practice successfully or not.

These practical skills are listed here for ease of referral:

  • preparing the patient before blood extraction / bedside manner
  • both techniques have to be demonstrated – i.e venipuncture and arterial puncture
  • quality of care shown to the patient during and after the procedure
  • methods of safety while delivering the samples to the lab, and processing the blood samples or bodily fluids specimen
  • preventative procedures used against infectious diseases
  • discuss the ethics and legalities involved in phlebotomy
  • show the quality assurance techniques used in the labs
  • show how to use the materials and reagents in the lab

If all of these points are carried out 100% correctly, the candidate is extremely deserving of his or her Phlebotomy license.

Phlebotomy Licensing Institutions

As we know by now, only 2 states require licensed Phlebotomists, but it certainly gives you a better start in the job market. The person employing a Phlebotomist with a license can be assured that they are getting a very competent member of staff – and that’s the whole point. The candidate is rated by an international or national organization and that puts employer’s minds at rest. That is why these institutions exist – to implement and carry out regulatory checks and to have an acceptable norm in the industry with which to compare applicants.

Places such as The American Society for Clinical Pathology, the National Phlebotomy Association and the Association of Phlebotomy Technicians all adhere to these standard norms and principles.

Phlebotomy Certification Courses

Phlebotomy Certification Courses: Get Your Phlebotomy Certification Online Today

In the medical field, phlebotomy is the procedure of blood getting from a patient for analysis, treatment and transfusion. To become a phlebotomist, one needs to go through specialized training and obtain a phlebotomy certification in order to put their knowledge into practice. A certification is a guarantee that a medical practitioner is qualified to practice blood extraction. This certificate will be recognized by laboratories, clinics and hospitals when they employ a competent phlebotomist.

Phlebotomy Certification

Why is there a need for phlebotomy certification? This medical certification will be your badge when you want to practice blood collection in hospitals and medical laboratories or even in clinics. This is a basic requirement before you can actually practice blood collection.

When you attend a phlebotomy training school you take courses that will help you in the practice and once you finish the program you will be awarded a phlebotomy certification that will be the proof of your competency and credibility.

There are two ways of obtaining a phlebotomy certification: first is to enroll in a phlebotomy training school and the other one is to get practical training and experience. Training includes 40 hours of medical classes, 120 hours of training experience and 100 cases of blood extractions.

People who were able to obtain a year of experience can also avail of this certification by attending training programs that will qualify them for the blood collection. The training program includes the strategies of venipuncture, 160 hours of classes and practical training.

The phlebotomy training courses include anatomy, psychology, physiology and strategies of dealing with all kinds of patients. This training will make a big difference in the practice of blood collection.

A phlebotomy certification is also very important for clinics, laboratories and hospitals because it will help them determine whether you will be an asset or liability to the organization. A certified phlebotomist will guarantee a well-defined blood letting procedure compared to one who has no certification. It is your license to the medical field that you can perform actual blood letting because you are certified.

This is also your way of being competitive in the medical field because once you have a phlebotomy certificate you have an edge over those who have none. Hospitals and laboratories will surely hire competent and well-trained individuals backed up by a certificate.

A phlebotomy certification will be issued to a medical person who had finished a phlebotomy training course and programs and had passed the exam. When you avail of a training program in a certain school make sure that the institution is accredited by National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science and adheres to the standards and requirements of the agency.

Without a phlebotomy certification you will put the hospital, clinic or laboratory you are working with in jeopardy because any minor error you commit during blood collection can actually bring a lawsuit to the organization. Meeting the requirements for a certification will require hard work and dedication but once you acquire one you are guaranteed of a medical career that will give you an edge in the medical field.

Phlebotomy Salary

Phlebotomy Salary – How Much Does a Phlebotomist Earn

young hospital workers in scrubs

A phlebotomist who has attained certification straight from training cannot handle duties that an experienced phlebotomist can handle. In the medical field performance cannot be based on how one does certain duties. Numerous aspects are involved such as how well a phlebotomist interacts with the patients and the care that phlebotomist accords to them. Gaining expertise in some fields such as venipuncture experience and time are major determinants. Handling patients irrespective of them being healthy or sick comfortably while a phlebotomist draws blood from their body is just an example of the skills that require time for one to be good at.

Several medical centers and hospitals apply a provisional style of employing newly qualified and licensed phlebotomists. During the internship most establishment do not pay their interns, while those that do pay them normally give such trainee little pay. It is important to note that there is no set average rate of salary for phlebotomists; each city, state as well as company is different. In addition, the level of education as well as experience of each phlebotomy is a huge determinant in the salary that a phlebotomist earns. Phlebotomist who work on a full time basis gets at least forty additional hours every week, while those on a part time basis gets approximately thirty hours on their timetable. It is also important to note that this will depend on the company or hospital that employs them.

Phlebotomists who work in the United States and are under the general rules of clinical laboratory technicians is said to have approximately 328,000 employees in the health care responsibility. According to statistics in the year 2009 the average pay for a phlebotomist was around $12.84 hourly or $26,710 annually. Those earning lowest pay in the scale of $ 8.28 every hour and the highest paid getting $18.73 per hour.

A newly trained phlebotomist starting salary ranges from $9.75 up to $12.5 every hour. The phlebotomist after working for a year gets a pay raise up to $10.10 to $13.4 per hour. Further after five years of service they can expect a n increase that ranges from $11 through to $14 per hour and after ten years, a phlebotomist may earn $16 per hour. Private doctors give out salaries ranging from $10-14.5 per hour. The non-profit making companies’ salary scale varies from $11.5 to $15.5 every hour. It is also noted that the highest salary is announced by those phlebotomist working for the government who also tend to enjoy huge benefit package.

As noted above, the location is a major determinant of the salary that a phlebotomist earns. According to statistics those in Boston receive the highest pay rates ranging from 13.5 to 17 dollars per hour or even to some extent more that. Chicago and Phoenix are also in a similar salary scale. In Dallas the starting pay for a phlebotomist is around $10 to $14 per hour. As in other fields phlebotomist enjoy benefits such as compensation for being on duty during holidays, compensation for sick day’s health insurance, and retirement benefits.its indeed a good career for those interested in joining the medical field.

Phlebotomy Training Education and Schools

The act of making an incision in the veins is called Phlebotomy and the person who does the venipuncture job is called a Phlebotomist. They are trained individuals who extract blood aseptically from the veins for diagnostic purposes. They commonly use intravenous catheters, syringes, evacuated collection tubes and other blood collection devices to draw blood in the laboratory, emergency rooms and in the room of patient per doctor’s order. Basically a phlebotomist collects blood specimen to help the doctors in determining the current status of the patient. Being a phlebotomist is a very risky job because they work around bloods and other specimen which makes them more exposed to blood diseases like HIV, AIDS, STD and Hepatitis B. That is why proper training is essential, not just for the patient’s safety but also for the phlebotomist himself.

Demand of Phlebotomy as a Course

Phlebotomy today is quite in demand because of the increasing number of people with disease and illness. Many people are now seeking medical assistance in every sign of physical and unnatural changes they feel in their body. Since a phlebotomist is the one responsible in getting blood samples for diagnostic purposes they are very much needed in hospitals, clinics, laboratories and companies who are into research studies. Due to this demand a lot of schools all over the U.S is opening and offering the training course program.

How to Become a Phlebotomist?

To become a certified phlebotomist the candidate must first finish a formal training course program for a recognized school or institution that offers the said program. The common requirements for the certification are: GED certificate or High School diploma, legal age to work, no criminal records or history of drugs and substance abuse, must be physically and mentally fit and completed the training program from a school accredited by the American Society for Clinical Pathology or the Association of Phlebotomy Technicians or the National Phlebotomy Association. A Phlebotomy certificate will be issued once the candidate passes the Phlebotomy Technician Examination.

Job Opportunities in the Field of Phlebotomy

Once an individual holds a Phlebotomy certification, doors will be open for employment and a bright future waits ahead. A phlebotomist usually works in the hospital laboratories and pathology department, doctor’s private clinic, diagnostic centers, community health homes and other private institutions where their services are needed. Many employers seek for a phlebotomist with great work ethics, responsible, keen observer, alert, critical thinker, steady hands and able to talk to the patient with gentleness and calmness. A good characteristic and attitude towards your work is needed to be successful in your job.

Salary Expectations of a Certified Phlebotomist

The salary of a Phlebotomist would vary from state to state, depending on the population of the area or the wage offer of the institution. The lowest annual salary based on the latest statistics is around 24,000 dollars and the highest is 29,000 dollars for an entry level phlebotomist. But once they have gained experience and more seminars and training, the yearly wage would most likely increase from 35,000 dollars to 37,000 dollars. That state that offers the biggest compensation is in New York and California while the lowest is in the state of Georgia. Nonetheless a phlebotomist earns decently.

Phlebotomy Certification

Phlebotomy Certification – 3 Steps to Become a Certified Phlebotomist

Phlebotomy is one of the many branches of medicine in which people who will want to specialize in will learn everything about drawing blood samples from patients. Following this procedure, the samples will be analyzed in a laboratory and a diagnosis will be given to the patients of an ailment or a disease. Those who work in this branch and have extensive experience in this procedure are called phlebotomists, medical assistants or phlebotomy technicians.

Practically these are the professionals who will be the first to interact with people and in most cases the role they play is vital by acting as liaisons between laboratories, patients and doctors. In the last years it seems that the demand for such professionals has increased a lot and individuals now have greater chances of pursuing the career of a phlebotomist. To be more precise, the BLS reported a yearly growth of seventeen percent for the positions available in the healthcare industry. But before anyone could become a phlebotomist, they will have to consider the right school and then get a Phlebotomy Certification.

Becoming a Certified Phlebotomist

For those who are seriously thinking about having a career in phlebotomy, they will have to first of all get a Phlebotomy Certification. Getting it is currently mandatory only in 2 states numbering Louisiana and California. But even though people who want to get in this field don’t live in these states, it’s better that they’ll get the certification as soon as possible. It’s a universal rule that employees will always favor those who are properly trained, schooled and certified rather than those who are not. This is even truer in the medical industry where just a single mistake can mean a potentially very harmful lawsuit. When professionals hold a Phlebotomy Certification they are actually guaranteeing their employers that they are experts who have the right training and knowledge required for the job and that they’ve also passed the national phlebotomy certification examination.
Training

When people will want to start preparing for the certification exam they will first of all need to consider attending a phlebotomy training program. There are plenty of schools out there offering training programs that yield a certification and provide the individual with the practical know-how and theoretical knowledge to perform procedures specific to this branch. More to that, when these programs will be considered, they will also prepare the individual for the phlebotomy certifying exam.
In general if someone decides to follow one such course he or she will need to spend a maximum of eight months studying. Some of the things the curriculum includes numbers clinical internship, laboratory hours and classroom hours.

Patience

When looking for a phlebotomy training program people will have to be careful and not hurry with it. The program should be approved by the local Department of State or Department of Health. No one should waste their hard earned money and time by going with a program that will not prepare them properly and make them eligible for writing a certifying examination. On top of that, those who want can easily get the full list of approved phlebotomy training programs in their area by getting in touch with their local Department of Public Health.
After people will have completed their training program they will only have to go ahead and register themselves for a certifying examination. Everyone can choose to take the examination at any of the current list of ten accredited institutions in the USA. If people have an employer they are targeting, before taking the examination they should inquire the institution about the preferred accreditation. Even though in regards to the examination pattern of each such institution, it can be a little different, the individual is tested based on the same curriculum and on top of that he or she will also have to go through a practical session.

The reasons for pursuing a Career in Phlebotomy

It’s very well known that anyone who dreams of having a great career in the medical field will have to be prepared for many years of hard work and dedication. This is practically the case with all other medical practices in the medical industry, yet regarding phlebotomy, things are not that tough. It may come as a surprise, but those who are looking for becoming a certified phlebotomist will only need to have a high school diploma and then follow a training program that will yield a certification and finally, take the certification exam. It’s not as hard as people think it is.

Yet the easiness of becoming one such professional is not the only reason to why there are so many people who are considering this career path. For one, having a job in the medical industry is very rewarding. It’s quite amazing when thinking about the feeling one can get when thinking that he saved someone’s life today. There is no greater reward in the world than knowing people can save the life of other people every single day.

On another note, certified phlebotomists don’t really have to work in a hospital, because their choice of workplaces is really diverse. For instance they can work in physicians’ offices, plasma centers, independent laboratories, blood banks and so forth. The ability of these professionals to practically choose where they want to work is something that has made this branch very popular.

Last but not least, there is also the financial factor involved and everyone knows that the wages phlebotomists get are not to be ignored at all. The research conducted by the BLS informed the public that professionals working in this branch will earn around thirty eight thousand dollars per year on average.

As this article states, becoming a phlebotomist only involves a few simple steps and the best thing about it is that individuals don’t need to consider a lot of training nor have extreme knowledge. All it takes is some pure dedication and an innate will for helping individuals who need help that only phlebotomists can offer them.