What Is a Phlebotomist
A phlebotomist is a health care worker who draws blood from patients for analysis. Phlebotomists work in a variety of health care settings, including hospitals, blood donation facilities and clinics. A phlebotomist must be skilled at using needles and blood collection equipment, and follow rigid safety procedures.
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Education Requirments
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Some prospective phlebotomists can receive on-the-job training, but most phlebotomists attend phlebotomy programs at local community colleges or vocational schools. Health care facilities usually prefer that their prospective phlebotomists are graduates of an accredited phlebotomy program. The programs are short term, requiring less than a year of coursework. Some schools offer a distance-education program as well. Upon completion of a phlebotomy program, students usually earn a career diploma.
Coursework
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Students in phlebotomy programs are required to take a variety of courses related to the field. Typical courses include anatomy and physiology, laboratory safety and venipuncture methods. Future phlebotomists also take CPR classes and learn how infection and disease can affect the blood and its cells. A program consists of classes on campus and clinical hours at a local hospital or clinic. This allows students to receive hands-on training in addition to textbook knowledge.
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Certification
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Most health care facilities prefer to hire phlebotomists who possess a phlebotomy certificate. This certificate is earned once a phlebotomist graduates from an accredited phlebotomy program. A phlebotomy certificate is earned when the graduate passes a national examination administered by a phlebotomy organization. The American Society for Clinical Pathology, the National Phlebotomy Association and the Association of Phlebotomy Technicians are all agencies that offer exams that lead to national certification. Each agency possesses specific requirements graduates must meet before being granted permission to take the national test for certification.
Job Responsibilities
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Phlebotomists are responsible for drawing blood from patients for analysis. They must know how to draw blood from patients who range from infants to the elderly. Phlebotomist need to perform this job safely to avoid the transmission of diseases that are transferred through contact with body fluids. They are responsible for keeping accurate records, properly storing blood in special containers and correctly labeling the containers that contain the drawn blood. It's also important that a phlebotomist possesses the gift of setting patients at ease, since many people are uncomfortable with having their blood drawn.
Career Advancement
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Phlebotomists who wish to advance in the field can return to school to receive training as a medical assistant, registered nurse or other type of medical professional. Becoming a certified phlebotomist is a useful way to begin a career in the medical field. The short-term programs enable graduates to quickly find jobs within a health care facility, providing a firm foundation for those who may wish to further their education in the future.
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