• Course Delivery Method – Whether you are looking for an online phlebotomy certification class or plan to attend a traditional college will depend heavily on your current personal and professional commitments. Many students are not able to leave their jobs or are busy raising a family and not able to attend full-time classes. Online programs can offer the same high caliber instruction in theory as those of traditional colleges. The key factor in choosing an online course of study is that in order to be eligible to write your phlebotomy certification exams, students must have a certain number of actual blood draws performed on real patients. For those already working in the health care field, it may be possible to complete your practicum at your place of work. Others will want to make certain that the online institution provides opportunities to train in an approved clinic for their hands-on experience.  It is also important to ensure that the program is accredited through one of the professional accrediting agencies in your state.
• Tuition – How you plan to finance your schooling is also an important consideration. Many accredited phlebotomy schools do offer financial assistance through student loans for those that qualify. Always speak to an admissions officer at the schools you are considering and ask about their financing options.
• Prerequisites – Make sure that you find out what the prerequisites are for each school you are interested in attending. Different states and schools may have their own specific prerequisites for admission into their phlebotomy programs. It is better to find this out before you begin any application process. It may be that there are certain courses from high school that you must have in order to enroll in their program. Once again, speaking with an admissions officer from each school that you are considering will give you all the information you need.

It is important to take some time to do a little research before deciding which school will best suit your needs. The more information you have the better equipped you will be to make the right choice for your future. 

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The first obvious reason is of course the potential in finding a job. The work of a phlebotomy technician involves much more than simply knowing how to draw blood from patients. Professionals in the field must have a thorough knowledge of laboratory and labeling procedures, infection safety precautions, appropriate blood draw techniques for the elderly and for infants and more. Studying phlebotomy for a few days will not prepare you for all the duties that are required of all employees working in a medical facility where blood samples are taken or analyzed. Since quality control, safe specimen collection and processing are vital for accurate results; employers demand a high level of knowledge along with practical hands on experience in order to consider any applicant to be eligible for employment.

Once students have successfully passed their phlebotomy courses, they will be required to take their certification exams. These exams have both an oral and practical component and one must meet the eligibility requirements to take these exams. One of the specific prerequisites being a pre-determined number of hours of actual blood draws.  In all likelihood, courses that last only a few days will not adequately prepare or entitle you to take the phlebotomy certification exams.

Phlebotomists are highly trained professionals in the health care field who must also have a good understanding in such areas as medical terminology, physiology, superior communication skills and so much more. A career as a phlebotomy technician is a rewarding one with potential for advancement for those who are properly trained. It is also a job that carries serious responsibilities where patients and physicians depend on accurate specimens for proper diagnosis. As well, it is a profession where continuous learning is essential in keeping up with new developments and technologies. Those that have completed their phlebotomy certification are also required to renew their license annually which again means taking re-certification exams.

Some of the reasons that phlebotomists give as to why they do not always wear gloves are:

• Questioning the protection that gloves actually provide
• Difficulty in finding veins
• Not fully understanding the dangers of pathogens
• Strong dislike for the types of gloves available to them

Since the intent of OSHA’s glove use is to provide employees personal protection, those that rip the fingertip off are not in compliance and do pose a safety hazard to themselves, other workers as well as their patients. Looking more closely at the compliance standard, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) does state that gloves are to be put on after selection of a site and prior to preparation of the site. The exception to this of course is in cases where blood is being drawn from a patient in isolation.

Viewing these facts makes it very clear that there is no need to rip the fingertips off gloves when selecting a draw site since they can be put on immediately afterwards. Following these procedures will allow all phlebotomists to be in 100% compliance with existing regulations. It will also provide the level of protection that is mandated by OSHA and CLSI.

Phlebotomy schools that insist on glove use with their students go a long way in helping them form a lifelong habit of wearing gloves. The possible repercussions of coming into contact with pathogens can be devastating and in many cases lead to fatal conditions for both the patient and the phlebotomist.

Following are some of the more common misconceptions along with an explanation why these myths must be overcome.

• Bandage use is an accepted alternative to direct pressure on puncture sites – Although this will obviously speed up the process, it does not conform to CLSI standards. Stasis must always be complete prior to applying a bandage. Both the skin puncture site and the vein puncture must be sealed which does take a little extra time however, it is the only way of detecting signs of hematoma or bleeding.
• A Vein is a Vein – This is absolutely false! The antecubital fossa is preferred. The basilic vein must only be used once the cephalic and median veins have been ruled out. Most importantly, all phlebotomy technicians must prioritize possible sites using the safest alternatives first.
• Pumping the fist helps locate veins – Not only is this false but having a patient pump his/her fist can significantly higher the potassium level in tests.
• Preferred draw sites can be selected by the patient – this can certainly be a valid statement if you happen to be collecting blood samples from a patient who has their phlebotomy certification and understands the ramifications of vein and site selection. In all other cases, the phlebotomy technician must be the one in authority.

These are just some of the most common myths that still continue to be taken as accepted procedures. Accredited phlebotomy schools try very hard to dispel these and other prevalent misconceptions. Regularly updating one’s qualifications is a crucial component to practicing venipuncture and many technicians take advantage of doing so by engaging in online phlebotomy certification review programs. They are a convenient way of staying abreast of new advancements and reinforcing accepted procedures.

A change in order did take place with the advent of glass tubes being replaced by plastic tubes and because glass acted as a natural clot activator, no additive was necessary to aid in clotting. This revision in the proper order of draws was necessary to avoid contamination of the additives in the new plastic tubes.

Contamination occurs when the blood or additive makes contact with the needle that is filling the tube and then transfers even a minute amount of additive or blood to the next tube being filled. There are several factors that can cause this transfer or carryover in both vacuum and syringe draws. In tube holder draws, carryover will occur directly from the needle that is in the holder as tubes are being exchanged. In the case of syringe draws, the contamination happens through the needle of the safety transfer device.

Another factor that can cause carryover is when there is improper orientation of the tube while using a tube holder. If exact positioning were possible in all draws allowing the tubes to be filled from bottom to top every time, the specific order of draws would not be such a critical issue. In the course of your phlebotomy training, it should have been strongly emphasized that this is virtually impossible given that each patient is different and an endless variety of patient arm positions occur in the course of any draw.

When situations of carryover exist, test results can be significantly affected and can result in devastating and life-threatening medical errors. Technicians who take their careers seriously and have attained their phlebotomy certification understand the importance of always following accepted standard procedures in every blood draw. It is also recommended that all those involved in the field regularly update their skills either through accredited phlebotomy programs or if time is a factor, there are several online phlebotomy certification classes available for retraining.  The safety of all patients depends on each phlebotomy technician understanding the importance of following proper procedures with every blood draw.

Medical facilities that re-evaluated their blood testing procedures and began to employ dedicated staff who possessed their phlebotomy certification found that the quality of blood test results improved dramatically. They also found the turnaround time was greatly reduced with no issues in specimen integrity. Implementing even these simple changes has a profound positive effect on patients who are already often under significant stress in a hospital ED. Some hospitals and other medical facilities have also begun to provide educational training to all technicians who draw blood in addition to the required updating of their phlebotomy certification. It is becoming increasingly clear that eliminating a professionally trained phlebotomy technician position is less cost effective in the long run. This practice also puts patients at greater risk with inaccurate results or blood draws that must be done over again.

Accredited phlebotomy schools understand the importance of proper laboratory procedures as well as accurate blood draws to preserve integrity and prevent contamination of specimens. Incorporating online phlebotomy certification courses within the workplace also helps to ensure that every phlebotomy technician will be kept up-to-date with the latest techniques and tools used in their profession. With the constant advancements that take place in the medical field, it is imperative for all health care facilities to keep abreast of new innovations. It is equally important to hire dedicated staff that understands how to incorporate such advancements. It is through the use of trained professionals that these facilities will realize true savings in the long run through less errors occurring both on the floor and within testing laboratories.

Those with their phlebotomist certification can expect to earn anywhere from $21,000 to $41,000 annually. Although the starting salary can sometimes present a challenge, full time phlebotomists generally enjoy valuable company benefits which can make a huge difference in actual take-home pay. Some of the benefits that are common in most full time phlebotomy jobs are:

• Premium health insurance
• Paid sick leave
• Paid vacation
• 401(K) retirement plan
• Paid stat holidays

Another financial incentive is that many employers will also cover the cost of maintaining your phlebotomy certification as well as advanced phlebotomy courses for upgrading skills. Once a person is employed as a phlebotomist, there are many opportunities to advance in the field and move into positions such as phlebotomy technician, lab supervisors and EKG technicians or into higher administrative roles within the field.

A phlebotomist’s salary will also vary depending on their years of experience as well as where they are located geographically. Some of the typical salaries one can expect to earn by state are:

• North Carolina         $24,500 – $34,300
• New York                   $29,000 – $40,000
• Georgia                        $22,900 – $31,600
• California                    $24,500 – $31,700
• Florida                        $23,900 – $34,700
• Illinois                         $24,300 – $39,600
• Texas                           $23,500 – $33,500

Phlebotomy jobs certainly provide an excellent opportunity to not only begin a career in the medical field but to also advance your position and explore different areas of this fast growing profession.

• National Credentialing Agency
• National Center for Competency Training
• American Medical Technologists
• The American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians, Inc.

Since getting your certification includes a predetermined number of actual blood draws, online phlebotomy courses are ideal for those already working in medical facilities that will allow them to gain hands on experience. Many facilities such as colleges, universities, hospitals, etc. use online programs to teach the theoretical and administrative skills needed to become a certified phlebotomist.  Some of the core courses that online phlebotomy certification courses typically cover include:

• Infection control
• Medical terminology
• Dealing with the difficult patient
• Processing and labeling blood draw samples
• Legal concerns in phlebotomy
• Effective communication
• Communication barriers

Once the theoretical or classroom portion of your phlebotomy course is complete and you have the required number of blood draws as stipulated by an accrediting agency you can apply for your online phlebotomy certification exam. Each recognized accrediting body has specific eligibility requirements so it is important to make certain exactly what they are and that you meet each one before applying to take your exams. Although testing will differ from one agency to the next, they will all require successful applicants to undergo both a written and practical exam.

Since phlebotomy schools offer a variety of courses, it is crucial to view the specific requirements for several certification agencies in order to make certain that your phlebotomy courses will cover all necessary topics and that you will be adequately prepared for your certification exams.

Phlebotomy programs cover both the theoretical and hands-on training that is necessary to work in a variety of medical settings. Students will learn the significance and role that blood plays in the human body, the proper techniques in drawing blood, the recording process of samples as well as how to store samples that have been taken. Understandably, there is much more that a phlebotomy technician does than simply drawing blood from patients. Some of the material that will be covered in phlebotomy schools will include:

• Physiology and Anatomy – These classes are designed to teach the muscular, circulatory and nervous system as it relates to phlebotomy. Students will learn how to asses the best sites for blood draws.
• Infection and Contamination Precautions – Best practices and proper procedures for infection and contamination control. Students will also learn how to protect both themselves as well as their patients.
• Pediatric Blood Draws – Specific procedures and equipment that must be used in drawing blood from children and infants. Understanding and recognizing child abuse including proper reporting procedures.
• Communication Techniques – How to overcome barriers in communication with patients. Since elderly and ill patients can become confused it is vital that phlebotomy technicians learn methods to overcome these challenges. Sign language, telephone communication and talking to young children are also vital skills that all phlebotomists must learn.

There is a significant amount of knowledge that phlebotomy courses must cover but by enrolling in one of the many accredited phlebotomy schools, students will be well prepared for their phlebotomy certification exams and have the confidence and skills needed to work in this growing and exciting medical field.

• Hospitals
• Community health care centers
• Physicians’ offices
• Blood banks
• Laboratories

Since one can become a trained and certified phlebotomy technician in months as opposed to years, it is an ideal choice for those who wish to enter the medical field. When choosing among the many phlebotomy schools that offer phlebotomy courses, it is recommended that the program includes hands-on training in the practice of drawing blood. This is vital as all certification bodies will require a certain amount of actual blood draws in order to be eligible to take their certification exams.

It is not always possible for those working full time to leave their jobs to attend on-campus phlebotomy courses and in such cases they may choose to take online phlebotomy certification classes. There are a couple of factors that prospective students should keep in mind before enrolling in any online phlebotomy training program. It is first important to make certain that the school and the program are accredited by a recognized accreditation board and that the program provides practicum modules at a medical facility that has been approved by one of the phlebotomy certification bodies.

Since there is more to phlebotomy than simply drawing blood, your phlebotomy course should include topics such as:

• Anatomy and physiology
• The circulatory system
• Blood and cell composition
• Laboratory protocol
• Infection control
• First aid
• Dealing with the difficult patient
• Special procedures for children and the elderly

The two key areas to verify before beginning your phlebotomy training is to first make sure that you will be well prepared for your phlebotomy certification exam and that your phlebotomy course provides amply opportunity for hands-on training.