Phlebotomy training can be obtained through accredited programs offered by technical schools, community colleges, and hospitals. Certification requires classroom and hands-on experience, including successful venipunctures and capillary punctures. Work experience can be substituted for classroom hours. Continuing education is required for re-certification.
Phlebotomy training can be acquired through several different training facilities. Some would-be phlebotomists are able to train on the job, but others want to ensure that the selected training program is accredited by a reputable agency. There are many companies that offer phlebotomy certification, but some are not as reputable as others. The following nationally recognized agencies are known to have comprehensive credentialing criteria for phlebotomy programs: American Certifying Agency (ACA), National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), American Medical Technologists (AMT), National Accrediting Agency (NCA ), American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Most training programs are two years at technical training schools, community colleges or hospitals. To gain access to a phlebotomy training program, one must first complete high school or a GED. Each certifying agency and state will vary slightly in requirements, but a phlebotomist will typically need to complete about 120 hours of accredited classroom phlebotomy training and about 120 hours of hands-on experience.
During a phlebotomy training program, each student must complete at least 50 successful venipunctures and 25 successful capillary punctures. This is a typical requirement to earn certification or a license, so it is important to select a school that guarantees the opportunity to meet this requirement. Courses that should be included in a training program are anatomy, physiology, blood collection procedures, patient safety procedures, blood sample handling, collection procedures, patient care, quality assurance, patient privacy, and hospital legal issues.
For those who are already working in a field that requires blood collection and wish to become certified phlebotomists, work experience can be accepted in lieu of hours of classroom training. Typically, 1040 hours of work experience over the last three years can be substituted, but the hours of work must come from an approved health facility that collects, examines, or transports materials derived from the human body. The candidate will still need at least 50 successful venipunctures and 25 successful capillary punctures.
Each state and certifying agency has different requirements for regulating the profession of phlebotomy, but most require continuing education in addition to the training requirements for starting a career in phlebotomy or another medical technology profession. This continuing education is required to re-certify when a certification period expires and usually involves security training credits in addition to an option for specialized training. These educational credits can be earned in any of the accredited phlebotomy training programs.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
