A Career in Phlebotomy
Working in the health industry is a very rewarding and secure career choice. With the necessity of drawing blood, providing transfusions and various other blood-related procedures, a career in phlebotomy has turned into an option that many prospective health-industry students pursue.
What is Phlebotomy?
Phlebotomy is the science of drawing blood. A phlebotomist is a person that has been trained to take the blood of a patient for testing, transfusion and even research. In virtually every sector of the health industry, these professionals can be seen drawing blood from patients of all ages.
A phlebotomist must understand where all of the vital veins are located and be able to assess a person’s current condition and medical needs. Oftentimes, veins will be obstructed or an injured area cannot be punctured. This requires a person to have a very firm understanding of the flow of blood in the body.
As a phlebotomist, a professional will be required to not only draw blood, but also instruct patients of the necessary care of the puncture site. From here, the phlebotomist will often bring the blood to a testing site so that it can be examined and the proper diagnosis can be found.
Career Outlook
One of the most enticing reasons to become a phlebotomist is that the career is expanding greatly. While other career paths show growth, phlebotomy is on a completely different level. This is seen with the 2012 statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In 2012, there were over 101,000 people employed in this profession. This number is slated to increase by over 27 percent by 2022.
In comparison, there are very few fields that can match this level of growth. This will see over 27,000 people landing jobs in the field over the next decade.
From these statistics, it is a very wise career choice as phlebotomists will be in high demand for the foreseeable future.
Schooling Needs
Phlebotomy is a very forgiving career and one in which a person will be able to pursue with a high school diploma or GED. As long as a person has met this requirement, they will be able to enroll with an appropriate school to receive their certification.
The training process is fast-paced and will take no longer than 1 year to complete. During this time, a person will learn about the human body, medical terms and have an immense amount of puncture training.
This training will look at various industry techniques where a person will learn the best methods of drawing blood and do so under the guidance of a teacher. Afterwards, a person may be required to go to an internship where they must perform a certain number of punctures. This will be a requirement for certification in most cases and is likely the first place that a student will work.
There is a balance of classroom learning, laboratory assignments as well as clinical experience that will be needed. Since there are 3 institutes that offer certification, the requirements will vary.
Job Potential
The vast majority of phlebotomists will be seen in hospitals, both public and private. This is a sector which is dominated by 40 percent of employees working in local hospitals. There are also employment options in laboratories as well as various other settings.
Salaries are varied greatly and depend on where a person’s place of employment is located. Those working in metropolitan areas will have a much higher salary than a person working in a small town. On average, the salary of a phlebotomist is just under $30,000 a year.
This will raise to over $40 thousand a year, or higher in some cases, once experience is gained.
Those that do choose a career in Phlebotomy will find that the work hours are irregular. Much like nurses and doctors, this profession often demands employees to work holidays, nights and weekends.
Phlebotomy is a rising career choice and one that must be given serious thought. Not only are there ample opportunities for employment, but the starting wage and amazing health benefits are definitely a bonus to consider. With a quick training process, this is definitely a choice for anyone that wants to go into the medical field without a college education.
