Do you wish to get a phlebotomy technician certification from a renowned training program? This write-up provides simple steps that you need to follow in order to select a good program that frames your future your way.
Phlebotomy technicians (PTs) are an important part of the health care industry. Their duties include drawing patients’ blood, managing blood samples, and preparing specimens for medical analysis. There is a growing demand of certified PTs in the medical industry. Once you become a certified phlebotomist, you can easily get hired by a number of health care institutions such as private clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, blood banks, blood labs, etc. Well, these extensive career opportunities are a result of the myriad advantages of getting a certification in the field of phlebotomy.
How Do I Get Phlebotomy Certification?
Being a certified PT definitely gives you an edge, while applying for a job. The possession of a certification attracts the employer’s attention, persuading him that all the requirements that the respected certifying bodies have laid down have duly been attained by the applicant. Certification is a renowned standard of education and experience, and it is a must for every aspirant.
To start with, one needs to register for certification training in phlebotomy from a recognized college or a technical school that is willing to help him/her by offering authentic training programs. One needs to do relevant research with regards to the course duration, fees, coursework, and training methods. In the training, one is taught safe methods of blood specimen collection, and ways to process them for medical analysis.
During the coursework, one is trained to carry out blood tests, and collect blood specimens by capillary method and venipuncture, and trained how to label those samples. These are some of the important parts of training that the under-training phlebotomists are exposed to.
Usually, the training courses offered by all the renowned medical schools take up a semester or a year for the completion of training program. After learning all about anatomy, physiology, blood sampling procedures and lab safety, one needs to earn the certification from a recognized certified body. There are three certifying bodies one can choose from, in order to become a certified professional in this field. They are:
- American Society for Clinical Pathology
- Association of Phlebotomy Technicians
- National Phlebotomy Association
All the three certifying bodies offer two certifications, viz., Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) and Registered Phlebotomy Technician (RPT). These are recognized all over the world. One of the many advantages for achieving either of the certifications is that it increases one’s chances of an increased salary. While a phlebotomy technician earns somewhere between USD 25,000 and USD 28,000 per annum, a certified technician makes has the annual salary range of USD 30,000 to USD 36,000. The difference lies only in certification, and that explains why a certification is important for a PT.
Being a certified phlebotomy technician can open doors for many career opportunities. Drawing blood is an artful craft and cannot be mastered initially. Having experience is certainly an added advantage. So, once you gain the certification, it might just astound you to know that once you gain experience, your annual salary may come to about USD 50,000.