Phlebotomy Technician

Before becoming a Phlebotomy Technician you should have a clear picture of what is required to succeed.

Phlebotomist Technician Definition: A phlebotomy technician, also often referred to as phlebotomy tech, blood collection specialist, or phlebotomist, is a specialized member of the allied health and medical team, with focus in the area of collecting, preserving and screening blood and blood related laboratory specimens from people on an ambulatory, or in-hospital basis. Unlike doctors and nurses, whom we often picture with syringes and needles to give injections, phlebotomy technicians NEVER use needles to give injections. Their job is to use blood collection systems to withdraw blood from an artery or vein via venipuncture when ordered by a medical doctor or practitioner for laboratory analysis.

What is a Phlebotomy Technician?

  Job Description:

• Assembles equipment, such as tourniquet, needles, blood collection devices, gauze, cotton, and alcohol on work tray, according to requirements for specified tests or procedures.
• Verifies or records identity of patient or donor and converses with patient or donor to allay fear of procedure.
• Applies tourniquet to arm, locates accessible vein, swabs puncture area with disinfectant, and inserts needle into vein to draw blood into collection tube or bag.
• Withdraws needle, applies treatment to puncture site, and labels and stores blood container for subsequent processing.
• May prick finger to draw blood. May conduct interview, take vital signs, and draw and test blood samples to screen donors at blood bank.

The daily work routine of the phlebotomy technician remains predominantly hands-on, however, the closely related field in medical laboratory technology is increasingly becoming analytical, with increasing focus on automation and use of computer technology. The complexity of tests performed, the level of judgment needed and the amount of responsibility phlebotomy and laboratory workers assume depends largely on the amount of education and experience they have; so does their level of compensation.

Becoming a Phlebotomy Technician

As a phlebotomy technician you must have the ability to collect and process blood and other specimens from diverse patients of varying age groups according to established policies and standards of care, such as the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). You will also be trained in procedures for clinical laboratory testing to ensure accurate lab results for the physician to make proper diagnoses and treatment decisions. If this is the career for you then there are on-the-job training opportunities, or workshops, courses and formal training programs offered online and on campus; IF not, then you might have go the route of becoming a medical assistant, or LPN first, solidify your skills on the job and then seek employment as a phlebotomist to specialize in phlebotomy. As in many things, there are many ways to achieve your goal. Certified Medical Assistants (CMA) are commonly hired to function as in-house phlebotomists.

Reasons to Choose a Phlebotomy Career

 "I became a phlebotomist because it's rewarding and challenging."  ~ Ashley Brower

 "I wanted a rewarding career that gets me closer to my nursing degree."  ~ Philip Smetters

 "I needed to start working sooner than what it takes to finish my nursing degree."  ~ Rosanne King

 "I wanted to apply my skills and work into a medical office, rather than a nursing home."  ~ Alexa Burrows

Occupational Future Outlook for Phlebotomists

The occupational future outlook remains excellent and the money is good! For example, Medix Staffing Solutions, Inc. is currently advertising phlebotomy positions in Los Angeles, CA that pay between $14.00 and $21.00 base pay salary per hour. The job requires a minimum of one year work experience with specimen collections from pediatrics to geriatrics (all ages) and applicants must be willing to work flexible hours based on staffing needs.

There will always be a need for trained phlebotomists in many places in the health care system. Your work as a phlebotomist requires providing direct patient interaction with pediatric, adolescent, young adult, adult and geriatric patients. Other services revolve around the exchange of information on factual matters, explain laboratory procedures and policies, recording of patient data and relaying patients’ needs to appropriate personnel. This type of interaction requires courtesy and tact when dealing with patients and their families, visitors, clients, hospital and/or laboratory employees. Some positions are graded.

Phlebotomy Training Through Formal Training

The vocational and post-secondary education system for adults consists of countless campuses across the United States and Canada of which most offer general health care* (see schools at very top of page!) and phlebotomy technician training. If not, then formal training programs in medical assisting and nursing also typically include detailed phlebotomy instruction and will lead to desired diplomas and degrees. This will give you the education you need to perform your duties in your role as a phlebotomist for doctors in private, or group medical practices, hospitals, nursing homes, healthcare facilities, veterinary clinics, insurance companies, blood donation centers, blood banks, law enforcement (forensics), correctional facilities and many other (surprising!) locations. What most people don't know is that phlebotomists can be trained right on the job.

With very few exceptions, there are no specific educational, or licensing requirements for phlebotomists in most states across the USA. However, while on-the-job training for phlebotomists is not uncommon, the vast majority gets their training from a vocational training program, including that of a medical assistants, LVN, LPN, medical laboratory and phlebotomy technician, or 2-3 day long phlebotomy workshops. As we said before: if there aren't any workshops, or on-the-job training opportunities offered to become a phlebotomist/phlebotomy technician in your area, you might have go the route of becoming a medical assistant, or LPN first, and then specialize in phlebotomy.

Benefits of Specializing

Phlebotomists appreciate the flexibility and mobility the job provides and enjoy the variety of dealing with many different people and cases. Others prefer less patient contact, less travel, and a more predictable work environment and therefore stay within the parameters of blood sample analysis, point-of-care testing and laboratory work. To most phlebotomists it is a way to give back to the community and be an active contributor to its well being. An experienced phlebotomy technician can make this job look easy, however the blood drawing procedure always remains a skillful art.