Phlebotomy Certification Makes Your Skills More Desirable

One of the best things that you can do for your career within any medical technician field is to obtain certification, which indicates that you are well trained and competent to perform the job duties. Even though most states do not specifically require you to take ***phlebotomy classes, you’ll have a hard time finding an employer to hire you without certification. Put yourself in the patient’s place for a moment – would you want someone drawing your blood that had no education, experience, or certification to do so? Probably not, and who can blame you.

Phlebotomy certification doesn’t take long to achieve, so you can be finish the programs offered by most ***phlebotomy training schools in just a matter of a few months. As you may have learned by reading our article about the specifics of training schools, you need to select one that is approved by the governing body within your particular state. Most of the best programs will be divided into three components of training, and after completing the coursework and the appropriate number of successful blood draws and punctures in practicum, you will take the exam. The exam will be administered and overseen by either the American Society for Clinical Pathology, the Association of Phlebotomy Technicians, or the National Phlebotomy Association. Each agency has its own regulations for phlebotomy certification, but the universal requirements are:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Classroom hours between 10-160
• Clinical training hours of 120+
• Internship hours during clinical training
• 25-100 successful venipunctures performed
• Set number of skin pricks

Registration for the Phlebotomy Certification Exam

Once your complete your coursework and internship, you should be ready to register for the exam, and it’s best to do so as soon as possible. This will help keep everything you learned fresh on your mind and allow you to do your very best. All schools, even **phlebotomy online programs, will instruct you on the ins and outs of the registration process, and some institutions may even be authorized as testing centers, which simplifies the process. If they don’t offer the exam onsite, you’ll want to contact one of the three certifying agencies to get an application. Follow the instructions on the form carefully, and make sure to send in any paperwork the request, such as your certificate of course completion, background checks, and necessary fees (usually between $75-120).

What to Expect on the Exam

The exam itself consists of a written, multiple-choice section that covers much of the material you learned in your phlebotomy training school, as well as a lab component. Things you can expect to be questioned on include:

• Medical Terminology
• Safety
• Arterial Puncture Procedures
• Circulatory System
• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Infection Control
• Blood Collection Procedures and Equipment
• Non-blood Specimens
• Venipuncture Specimen Collection
• Skin Puncture Equipment and Procedures

The test can take anywhere from two to four hours to complete, and most of the time your results will be available immediately. However, the official letter containing the results will be mailed to you within a few weeks after the exam. Once you pass, though, you are ready to get started working and bringing in a good ***phlebotomy salary.