Phlebotomists can find employment in hospitals, private practices, and mobile blood banks. Specialized training is required for some phlebotomy careers, such as arterial blood withdrawal and working with intravenous lines. Many phlebotomists continue their education to become clinical laboratory technicians.
There are a variety of phlebotomy careers available once someone completes phlebotomy certification. Phlebotomists receive special training and collect blood, either for collection and donation, or for medical tests. There are also several places where phlebotomists can find employment.
Hospitals are a major employer of phlebotomists. Phlebotomists can do a lot of work in the hospital setting, performing procedures that were once assigned to nursing staff. In addition to drawing blood for testing, phlebotomists may administer subcutaneous (under the skin) and intramuscular injections. Having phlebotomists on staff reduces the number of nurses that have to work each shift.
Private practice phlebotomy careers are also widely available. These phlebotomists perform many of the same tasks that they would perform in a hospital setting. The main difference is in the atmosphere. They draw blood for tests and may give injections as needed. Often, phlebotomists who work in physicians’ offices are certified medical assistants, which allows them to perform many tasks that would otherwise be handled by nursing staff.
Mobile phlebotomy careers are also common. Blood donation is performed by phlebotomists, and most areas have a mobile unit that regularly visits different locations to perform these tasks. Mobile blood donation can be a chore as you are doing the same task all day every day. Mobile blood banks often visit an area every eight weeks so queues can be long and work steady. Working in a mobile blood bank can be a good career choice for the new phlebotomist, as the rigorous practice will provide an excellent experience.
Some phlebotomy careers require specialized training. In normal blood sampling, blood is drawn from a vein using a process called venipuncture. In some cases, it is necessary to withdraw blood from an artery. This is a more complicated procedure, because the blood moving away from the heart, in the arteries, moves with much greater force.
Another type of specialized training that many phlebotomy careers require is working with intravenous lines. In some states, phlebotomists may perform saline flushes and dispense heparin under the supervision of a physician. In states where this is permitted, most employers will expect you to have the necessary training to perform this procedure.
Phlebotomy careers are often the first step towards a more complete medical career. Many phlebotomists continue their education and earn an associate degree in clinical laboratory technology. Clinical laboratory technicians not only collect blood for testing or donation, but they may also perform other types of sample collection and prepare the samples for transport.
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