What Is Phlebotomy?

Phlebotomy is a medical term that not too many people outside of the health care industry are familiar with.  A phlebotomist is someone who has been specifically trained to draw blood from another person in order to obtain a sample for use in medical testing or potential transfusions.  While most people are accustomed to thinking of this activity as one that is performed by a nurse, such as at a primary school or a private medical practice, in hospitals and at larger clinics phlebotomy is increasingly carried out by trained phlebotomists.  The primary reason for the upswing in specialized phlebotomists in these facilities is that it frees up significant medical resources in the form of doctors and nurses who can better apply their talents in other areas.

How does one get started on the path to becoming a phlebotomist?  Surprisingly, it would seem that this respected and vital health care role is not overly difficult to get involved with.  Traditionally, phlebotomists learned how to do their jobs through hands-on experience in hospitals around the United States.  Some started off as medical technicians, while others fell into the job as orderlies or other hospital workers.  Nowadays, there are several different national organizations which are dedicated to training and certifying phlebotomists.

That being said, there is no need for a university degree in order to work in this field.  Many phlebotomists begin their training right out of high school, drawn to the profession by the sense that they can help people in a time of need as well as by the prestige that is associated with health care industry jobs.  While phlebotomists are required to have a working knowledge of anatomy as well as the circulatory system in order to help them find veins accurately, the depth of information that is required to be mastered is nowhere near that expected of a doctor.

Phlebotomists can work with fingersticks, which are small tubes which can acquire blood from a patient without the need for venipuncture, which is when a blood collecting needle is inserted directly into the vein.  They also work with a wider range of larger needles and collection devices.  Those learning phlebotomy are instructed in the best areas of the body from which to seek blood, as well as how to control the amount of blood that is collected and how to use additives in order to control clotting.

In terms of how future employment looks for those interested in phlebotomy, there are some surprising facts which shed light on the long term prospects of the profession.  In general, medical technicians of all kinds are in dramatically short supply, and of all of these phlebotomists can be considered as particularly absent.  The small number of phlebotomists currently working can be attributed largely to the fact that most job seekers, particularly those just graduating, are unaware that the job description even exists. 

In addition, hospitals are always on the lookout for phlebotomists due to the fact that it costs far less to have a technician draw blood than it does to have a doctor or nurse divert themselves from their schedule to do so.  Despite making a healthy living – with an average salary of $26,297 in the United States – phlebotomists are an economically sound option for health care facilities looking to balance their budgets.

A career in phlebotomy is an appealing option for students who are interested in health sciences, but who don’t have the means or the desire to go through the near decade of schooling that is required of those seeking certification as doctors.  If you are not squeamish about handling blood, if you have a good bedside manner and can make people feel at easy in an uncomfortable situation, and if you are looking for a stable job with reasonable hours in the health industry, then phlebotomy might be right for you.