The phlebotomy technician, i.e., the phlebotomist, plays a significant role in the field of phlebotomy.
In fact, a phlebotomist technician will have to go through several tasks each day to ensure that they are doing their job correctly, efficiently, and safely.
A phlebotomy technician is typically a substitute for a phlebotomist.
Phlebotomy technicians have several essential roles in phlebotomy, starting with patient interaction and ending in the laboratory.
So what is a phlebotomy technician?
This article will cover what they do daily, the training they need to become the same, and how much you can expect to distinguish between a phlebotomy technician and a phlebotomist.
This can be seen in the schedule of his day.
He starts interacting with the patient and ends up in the laboratory.
In the meantime, he has to go through several tasks to ensure that they are done in the right and best way.
As technology advances and medicine becomes a growing leader globally, there are more vacancies for phlebotomists.
And it is becoming easier to obtain them, but are you familiar with the specific tasks a phlebotomist should accomplish?
You will have various functions that will vary from day to day, but you will mainly have to work with patients and your colleagues, including:
- Verify the patient’s medical records: First, you’ll need to obtain them from the patient’s chart, then you’ll have to verify them.
- Conduct patient interviews: To prevent medical error due to misinformation given by the patient, when working with a new patient, you’ll have to check their previous medications and medical experiences.
- Vital signs check: Here, we can mention blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, pulse, etc.
- Obtain blood samples through venipuncture: You’ll need to have excellent skill and a steady hand to find the vein and draw blood painlessly and quickly.
- Preparing blood samples: One of the essential stages of blood sampling, because you have to be careful when labeling, color-coding, etc. because if you are not careful, you can get the wrong results.
- Analyze blood samples
Although all of the above seems relatively easy, you should still pay attention to the fact that you should do everything from the above carefully to prevent unwanted mistakes.
As a phlebotomist technician, you will meet different people with different stories, and maybe as important as drawing blood is to interact with patients so they can feel more accessible.
What is the difference between a phlebotomist and a phlebotomist technician?
There is no clear line between a phlebotomist and a phlebotomist technician.
Still, for those who want to research and find out more, the only difference is that a phlebotomist technician is anyone who works in a lab while a phlebotomist works both in the lab and draws blood.
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What Does Training for a Phlebotomist Technician Require?
Due to the ever-increasing demands of the healthcare field, thanks to advances in technology and recent medical advances, becoming a technician is beginning to be a career enjoyed by many people.
You do not have to have previous experience in the field of medicine.
But it is essential to know in advance what you are doing before starting any job, and creating a career as a phlebotomy technician, although rewarding, is no different.
You have a wide range of jobs that deal primarily with patients and laboratory work.
Both are equally important for your work’s integrity and success, and when handling medical information of any kind, you can save lives at any time.
While these may seem like simple tasks (with proper on-the-job training), it is essential to understand the responsibilities of working in the medical field.
The usual training usually lasts 4-8 months.
During this period, you will either work in the classroom or through online classes.
Probably you should get as much practical experience as possible during this time.
Many training programs will require students to perform so many venipunctures before completing their training, which can be a great way to prepare for your first post-training phlebotomy job.
Many countries now require a step away from just basic phlebotomy training.
If your country needs you to be an authorized phlebotomy technician before you get hired, it could mean another month or so of practice.
It is vital to choose the right school for phlebotomy training.
You may be wondering when you go to any phlebotomy training:
What is the difference between a phlebotomist and a phlebotomy technician?
Well, there are different opinions on this topic, but basically, there is no difference.
At the same time, a phlebotomist takes blood and works in a laboratory.
But they are interchangeable job titles.
What is a phlebotomy technician?
A phlebotomy technician is a beginner, but many people use it as a stepping stone to a long career in medicine.
Nurses and even doctors sometimes start as phlebotomists.
One of the most important things to consider when considering a job is how well you work with people.
As a phlebotomy technician, you will deal with people from all walks of life and all ages.
Of course, taking blood samples and analyzing them in the laboratory is essential (and it can save lives).
Still, your primary duty will be interacting with people, and that will be in your work every day, and it can mean much more than a friendly greeting.
It is common for those already in the healthcare industry to make a change.
If you already have a health job, it may be easier for you to get a job as a phlebotomist.
For example, if you work in a hospital, you already know the safety rules and how the facility operates daily.
So, you probably do not have to go through an extended orientation or in the process of on-the-job training.
There is no one aspect of work that is more important than another regarding general health and well-being.
Let’s put aside the differences.
When enrolling in training for a phlebotomist, you also become a competent phlebotomist technician.
The training will last from 4-8 months, and you will mainly attend online courses, but you should try to engage in hands-on training as much as possible.
You will have to train for an additional month in some states because states like California require a certificate.
But even for those who live in countries that do not require a certificate, it is nice to have it because you stand out from the competition.
Where Can You Find Work as a Technician?
When we mention a technician, what comes to your mind first?
Probably someone who works in a hospital, right?
But believe me, this is not the case because only 52% of phlebotomists work in hospitals, the rest work in medical facilities, including:
- 24-hours emergency centers
- Smaller clinics
- Nursing homes
- Private practices
- Veteran hospitals
And it usually does not become a word for a full-time job but a part-time job and often for work as a volunteer.
If you are looking for a job as a volunteer, working for the Red Cross is ideal for you because they will always need trained professionals in the blood collection department.
The internship also has a tremendous impact on your further development, which will help you gain a lot of experience in your field and work with people and help you for possible employment because many hospitals hire their internships later.
Phlebotomist technicians have huge solutions and variations in the work and work tasks they have to perform, so do not feel that you have to limit yourself to a few local hospitals to work.
This is important in small areas that may not have many hospital openings or career opportunities.
It is always a good idea to be creative with your search.
For example, you can search for an online certification for phlebotomy.
They can work in smaller clinics, 24-hour emergency centers, private surgeries, nursing homes, veterans’ hospitals, and more.
For every place you can think of, regular blood draws for patients (even part-time, for events, etc.) will always require qualified phlebotomy technicians to work with them.
And do not disappoint if you start with a part-time job, because the part-time can quickly turn into a full-time job.
There is another reason that phlebotomy is such a popular start-up career.
It offers a decent salary.
When compared to other starting jobs in retail, office work, etc., phlebotomy not only has an excellent standard of play, but you can probably get several benefits when working full time.
It is essential to mention that, on average, how much you can do as a phlebotomist depends on how often you work.
One of the most critical things when deciding to make a career as a phlebotomy technician is that you can often have a variable schedule, allowing you more time for school, family, etc.
Most staff phlebotomy technicians will earn an average of about $ 13.50 per hour or on an annual basis about $29,730.
How Much Does a Phlebotomy Technician Make?
In addition to being a leader in the development and job creation, with an annual salary of $29,730, phlebotomy is the leading branch with the highest-paid entry-level jobs.
Phlebotomy technicians who work full time receive a wage of $ 13.50 per hour and have total flexibility in performing their duties.
However, phlebotomy is an entry-level job that is expected to start growing and thus increase salaries.
If you manage to become a supervisor of the new phlebotomist technicians who will arrive, your annual salary will increase dramatically, i.e., from $29,730 to a whopping $42,000.
Our team of renowned professionals conducted significant research in phlebotomy, which gave unusual results.
Namely, from 2010 to 2020, the phlebotomy industry has grown so much that the search for phlebotomists has increased by about 15%.
In 10 years, with the increasing use of technology, the search for phlebotomists is expected to grow by an enormous 27%.
The Bottom Line
Given that this fast-growing industry is just starting to grow, it has never been a better time for someone just like you to start working as a phlebotomist technician, even if we add that as the industry grows, so does the salary of phlebotomists technicians to increase dramatically, then it becomes inevitable that with perseverance and vision you can have leverage in the future.
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