Education Needed for Phlebotomy
There are many exciting options in health care, some requiring just a few classes and others requiring years of education. Phlebotomists tend to require less education than many of the options in the health-care field, but you should still be prepared for more than just a class or two. Everyone is familiar with what a phlebotomist does, but not what it requires to become one. There are a variety of ways to obtain phlebotomy education, as well as a number of things that can be done with it.
Other People Are Reading
-
Start Early
-
If you want to pursue a career in phlebotomy, it's best to start in high school with a solid grasp of mathematics and science. Both disciplines are crucial to success in the health-care industry. You'll find the classwork easier later on if you start early with a good foundation in the basic principles of medicine.
Program Options
-
If you asked all the phlebotomists out there about their educational background, there'd be a variety of responses. Some phlebotomists were educated with just a certificate program, possibly at a technical school or community college. Others may have completed an associate's degree to obtain their certification. And still other phlebotomists may have a bachelor's degree in one of the life sciences like biology.
-
Classes
-
Most phlebotomy programs will probably include the following subjects: anatomy and physiology, blood and cell composition, blood sampling procedures, laboratory safety and CPR. Other courses that may be included could relate to professional behavior, quality control, legal issues, computer training and medical terminology. Each program will vary some in what it chooses to educate students in, but all of them should contain certain basic information for effective phlebotomy training.
Composition
-
Another component of education in health care to consider is how much of the training is done in the classroom and how much in a practical setting. A phlebotomy training program should consist of classroom lecture and laboratory practice time, as well as on-the-job training. On-site training should include basic laboratory procedures, supervised experience drawing blood, disposal of biohazardous materials, and blood-borne pathogen training. Phlebotomy can expose you to many infections in the blood, including HIV and hepatitis, so it's important for students to learn about precautions to take, what the risks are, and how to dispose of materials properly to avoid infection. At the end of a phlebotomy training program, you should be prepared to take the examination for certification as a phlebotomist.
Advancement
-
There are opportunities for advancement in the field of phlebotomy. It's possible to move into a supervisory role or to acquire additional certification to be a donor phlebotomy technician (DPT). DPTs are the phlebotomists that draw from voluntary donors, who can sometimes be in remote locations.
-
