Where do you begin learning to become a phlebotomist? The first step is to attend a school that specializes in training in the art of venipuncture. Now here’s a couple of questions for you. Are you afraid of blood? And do you know exactly what a phlebotomist does?
If you said no on both accounts, allow us to describe the profession in a bit more detail. However, there is nothing we can do if you are afraid of blood.
What does a phlebotomist do?
A phlebotomist is a busy bee. They do way more than just draw blood. They are in charge of spinning the blood down, which is called centrifugation. As a phlebotomist you will do capillary draws, also known as finger sticks. You will see many patients throughout the day and may have to participate in helping nurses and doctors perform CPR if necessary. You will be performing stat draws, which means that the lab and the physician need the blood sample immediately. You will work in the emergency rooms, pediatrics, neonatology and obstetrics. Actually you will go wherever the laboratory sends you.
Is being a phlebotomist dangerous?
Well, there is danger in every job technically. But, if you are a phlebotomist, you are dealing with one of the most dangerous substances there is, namely “human blood”. We all know that there are a plethora of infectious organisms that are contained in human blood. Many times you will not even know if a patient is affected by a contagious blood borne pathogen. Therefore you must exercise extreme caution by using gloves, gown, mask and goggles whenever necessary. This is called using standard precautions. Once you have chosen a medical profession such as phlebotomy, you must be very cautious when performing each and every venipuncture to keep yourself and the patient safe. Needle sticks are very serious and that is why the hepatitis B vaccine is recommended to each and every hospital employee. Take a look at the video below. This will give you some idea of what a phlebotomist does in their daily routine.
Will I be able to find a job?
Just take a look at the popular job websites such as Monster and Indeed. Also make sure that you look at your local hospitals websites. You will be surprised at the amount of job openings for phlebotomists. Make sure however that your skills are on point when you apply and that your resume correctly reflects your training. No one wants to hire a phlebotomist who cannot draw blood. Most schools have a job board for you to access. Take advantage of all that they have. Phlebotomy Career Training is a great place to attend your phlebotomy training, either in class or online. They specialize in training phlebotomists and they have a great job board, not to mention many affiliations with hospitals across the U.S.
