Nursing Or Phlebotomy Certification? You Make The Call
Some of you that are considering Nursing as a career may also want to look in to phlebotomy. Becoming a phlebotomist takes less time, and the pay is still respectable. If you are unfamiliar with what a phlebotomist does, this article will explain everything you need to know.
Getting to be a phlebotomist is a worthwhile career. Phlebotomists would be professional medical care employees that will work together with individuals without the stresses that comes with being a medical doctor or nurse. Phlebotomists draw blood for examination, the results of which physicians use as an important diagnostic tool. Like all health care employees, getting to be a phlebotomist usually requires a solid education. Becoming a phlebotomist means learning and knowing human anatomy and physiology, blood collection skills, basic safety protocols, first aid and CPR.
Being a phlebotomist starts off with high school. Phlebotomists will have to possess a high school diploma or equivalent. Phlebotomists then go through a phlebotomy training program. Phlebotomy courses are often given by training colleges, many hospitals, on the internet, career and vocational schools. There are really three choices of phlebotomy courses: certification, associate, and bachelor’s degrees. Certificate training programs are the most common among students that have the intention of being a phlebotomist. Certification programs last 12 weeks on up to one year and will cost you $1500 to $3000 to finish. Associate and bachelors degrees need two to four years and cost five to ten times more than certificate programs. An individual serious about being a phlebotomist want to be certain to opt for a course which has already been recognized by the United states Department of Education, the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NAACLS), or other agencies. Recognized or accredited courses match the specifications and regulations set by 2 very important institutes, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Becoming a phlebotomist does not conclude after graduating from a training course. Accreditation is actually the next step in learning to be a phlebotomist. Though not demanded by law of professional phlebotomists, other than in California and Louisiana, most employers probably won’t employ non-certified phlebotomists. Possession of certification usually means that the phlebotomist is totally educated with collection practices and techniques as well as standard procedures and protocols. Official certification is provided via ten nationally acknowledged certifying organizations. These organizations include the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), and the National Phlebotomy Association (NPA). Phlebotomists will have to make an application for official certification (which usually can be sent in online) then successfully pass a standardized exam.
People excited about a career in the health care industry should think about being a phlebotomist. There is definitely huge demand, as the health sector is constantly expanding due to an aging general public. For that matter, the US Bureau of Labor predicts a 14% boost in employment opportunities from 2006 to 2016. Phlebotomists earn an average hourly wage of $12.84 and an average annual income of $26,710. Many employers provide worker benefits to phlebotomists, including vacation, paid sick days and accessibility to healthcare and pension plans.
To conclude, for some of you Nursing will still be the right choice. But for others that think they may not want to attend school for up to 4 years, phlebotomy is an excellent alternative.