But why, you might wonder, should anyone bother getting a phlebotomy certification in the first place? Well, considering the fact that it involves opening a vein, and incorrect bloodletting can be fatal, a phlebotomist must be very well-versed in his or her field before performing phlebotomy on another person. A certified phlebotomist will also be regulated by rules which, if followed, will see to it that the equipment used is sterile and safe, among others. A phlebotomy certification will prove that the phlebotomist is proficient, and barring human errors, the bloodletting will be done without incident. He or she works under direct supervision in a hospital or a clinic.
Phlebotomists are in high demand, so once you are certified and you survive the probationary period, if any, you’re almost guaranteed a job. The high chances of landing a job is partly what makes phlebotomy certification so advantageous. The median expected salary for a phlebotomist in the United States in 2011 is USD29, 517, sans bonuses and other benefits one might receive. Of course the pay will be lower when you’re just starting out, but it will increase along with your experience. In this volatile and often gloomy economy beggars can’t be choosers, and a stable income is better than none at all. Besides, that amount averages more than USD2, 000 per month, so if you plan your budget wisely you – and your family, if you have one – should be able to ride out these trying times.
How Do You Get Certified?
But how do you go about getting a phlebotomy certification? One possible avenue would be the traditional, offline way: through courses conducted in colleges, universities and certain institutions. A phlebotomist certification class can span as short as six weeks. At the end of your training stint you will have to sit for a national examination, which upon passing you will obtain your phlebotomy certification and can start plying your trade. All in all, it’s a pretty straightforward procedure.
Thanks to the advent of the Internet you can also attend classes from the comfort of your own home by taking a course online. This option is great for stay-at-home parents, or those who wish to get training as a step towards transitioning from their current job into the wellness care field. The classes are conducted at certain times, much like classes at brick and mortar institutions, and you must be in front of your computer when that happens. ‘Dry exercises’, or practical applications such as learning venipuncture on dummy arms, are conducted at specific clinics or schools, so you’ll have to get out of the house for these. At the end of the course you’ll have to take the national examination and pass it in order to get certified as a phlebotomist.
Why is it Important?
Another plausible question: why is it important to be certified when you can work as a phlebotomist without certification? Currently only two out of America’s 52 states require a phlebotomist to be certified prior to practicing his or her trade. While methods are not really as unrefined as in the past where phlebotomist hopefuls can learn hands-on from side-to-side training and guidance from an experienced phlebotomist then declare him- or herself ready to start practicing, you can just as easily get a job once you’ve completed a course sans the certification examination.
Well, for starters, phlebotomy is like almost any other field in the sense that a professional qualification and certification will cement your credibility and skill, as well as provide a solid reason for you to be offered a higher starting pay than non-certified practitioners. You will also stand to gain a higher chance for growth will the skill set a phlebotomy course equipped you with; the myriad of technical and academic skills taught will allow you to advance in more ways than an uncertified practitioner who has not gone through the same program.
Besides, getting a phlebotomy certification will open up more doors for you to further your studies and jack up your pay with higher level qualifications. You need not confine yourself to phlebotomy; you can also go for training in other related training courses as well to diversify and make available to you jobs in laboratories or medical administrative offices as well as hospitals and clinics. The benefits of getting certified does not stop there: a skill set ranging across several different yet related fields will make you more marketable to potential employers.
Financial Aid
Are you worried that getting a phlebotomy education and certification will drain your financial resources? Don’t be: depending on your financial background and your own resourcefulness, a phlebotomy course can be very affordable – or even free if you know how to go about it.
- Loans
These are especially easy to obtain if you are reading your course at an institution, and if your course is credit-based. External loans will depend on your financial situation and surrounding factors; it is not uncommon for the loan to cover the full cost of your course if you can prove if you are eligible for it. - Scholarships
You can also try sourcing for scholarships if you believe you can live up to the minimum requirements. Most academic institutions offer scholarships, as do employers and organisations, so take some time to fill up the forms if you qualify for it and hope to net one. Both full and partial scholarships are available. - Unemployment and Public Assistance Offices
If you are currently unemployed, you can contact your local unemployment office to arrange for you to be enrolled in a phlebotomy training program if they conduct one. Even if they don’t, you can still try to obtain tuition assistance or tuition waivers to cover the cost of getting trained elsewhere.
Further Information On Phlebotomy Certification:
Phlebotomists are expected to be in higher demand in the near future, so this career path is quite bright. We try to provide you with as much information on the subject of phlebotomy certification as possible, so you have it all in one place. But if you still wish to find out more about phlebotomy, you can always visit the websites of several organizations such as the American Society for Clinical Pathology, American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians, National Phlebotomy Association, American Phlebotomy Association and the Red Cross Organisation.
You can also visit forums and do some research online to see if phlebotomy suits you (you’d best look elsewhere, for example, if you have haemophobia – fear of blood). After all that’s been said and done, everything boils down to one thing, or specifically, one person: you.
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