Laboratory testing is an integral component of the health care system and the phlebotomist may be employed in a wide range of health care laboratories. In order to diagnose illnesses and medical ailments, blood and urine samples, for example, must be analyzed thoroughly and carefully. The field of phlebotomy is very important to the lab component of the health care system, as phlebotomists are trained to properly draw blood from patients for analysis. This analysis helps to diagnose medical condition and paves the way for a plan of action to be devised. There are several labs in the health care system. Let’s take a look at the major ones.

One of the most important labs in the health care system is the clinical lab. This is where lab technicians process cultures in order help diagnose different diseases. Generally, small samples of the collected specimen are incubated in order to examine exactly how it is multiplying. Toxicology, microbiology, virology, mycology and bacteriology are all important areas focused on in clinical lab setting. Blood samples are the primary area of focus in chemical labs. This is where blood samples are analyzed using sophisticated technology. This will be an important setting for you if you choose to pursue a career in phlebotomy. The blood bank is where blood donations are matched with patients who are in need. The pathology and histology lab is where biopsies are explored. In this lab setting, a pathologist and histology technician work together to perform important analyses. Finally, the cytology lab is a vitally important lab in the health care system. This is where cytologists examine cells in order to reach a determination as far as whether they are healthy or not. If the cytologist discovers abnormal cells, the pathologist will be referred to for confirmation.

As you can see there are several important labs that have important duties associated with them in the health care system. These labs include the following: The clinical lab, chemistry lab, blood bank, pathology and histology lab and cytology lab. If you have decided to pursue a career in phlebotomy, it is important that you have a general understanding of these important labs. You will gain a better understanding of these labs and their functions during your phlebotomy training process.

Have you recently decided to pursue a career in phlebotomy? You should feel confident knowing that you have chosen to enter a robust and recession-proof career field in the health care industry that gives you the opportunity to regularly help patients. As a phlebotomist, you will be diagnosing the health status of patients by drawing and analyzing blood samples. If you are serious about entering into this profession, it is important that you understand some of the typical procedures you will be performing on a regular basis on-the-job as a phlebotomist.

The most common procedure you will be able to complete routinely after your education and training is a venipuncture procedure. During the venipuncture procedure, you will insert a safety or butterfly needle into a patient’s vein and then you will attach the needle to tubes so that blood can be collected. It is important that you collect the proper amount of blood, apply proper pressure to the wound bandage it appropriately. Another very common procedure a phlebotomist will routine execute is a finger stick during which the index finger, heel or foot of a patient will be pricked so that blood can be collected and later analyzed. The phlebotomist will cover the wound with a cotton ball. As an aspiring phlebotomist, you can also expect to use arterial stick to measure blood gases or perform other tests. A phlebotomy technician must be extremely focused and organized when labeling blood samples so that they are assigned and can be identified with the correct patient. It could become very dangerous if any mistakes are made in the labeling process. Another very important task that a phlebotomist must regularly execute is properly completing all necessary paperwork pertaining to patients and samples. This is a very important administrative responsibility.

As you can see, phlebotomists are responsible for executing several very important procedures. Venipunctures and the finger stick are two routine procedures in phlebotomy used to collect and later analyze blood samples. In addition, properly labeling samples and completing all necessary paperwork accurately pertaining to patients and samples are important tasks that all phlebotomists must execute. The specific tasks that phlebotomists have to complete also vary depending on the work setting and employer.

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the medical field that boasts extremely strong job prospects even despite the current economic challenges that the nation faces? Do you want to pursue an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling career that gives you the opportunity to help others? If you answered yes to both these questions and possess good dexterity and the ability to work well under pressure, you may want to pursue a career in phlebotomy. One of the major benefits you will encounter on your journey to becoming a phlebotomist is that extensive and exhaustive education and training will not be required. You can typically complete your phlebotomy training between one semester and one year. One important course you will be required to take will be centered on the legal and ethical issues that phlebotomists face.

The major legal issue that a career in phlebotomy involves is negligence. In the process of collecting blood, there are a number of potential possibilities for negligence to take place. This includes, but is not limited to, making a mistake in patient identification, using incorrect patient positioning for procedures, using the wrong puncture location, using wrong equipment for blood collection and not adhering to safety protocol. It is absolutely imperative that you are always fully focused on-the-job if you want a successful career in phlebotomy. You will be required to practice extensively in drawing the proper amount of blood and storing it properly if you want to become a phlebotomist. It is in your best interest to secure liability insurance to protect yourself as a phlebotomist.

As far as the ethical issues are concerned for phlebotomists, it is important that treat patients with respect and communicate effectively with them. You should be in good standing with your employer and should strive to do the best job you possibly can. It is important that strictly follow all rules, regulations and guidelines established by your employer. If you believe that certain processes can be improved or are not managed properly, you should speak out about it.

A career in phlebotomy can be highly rewarding and fulfilling and the training process is not that time-consuming. You can expect to take a course that addresses the legal and ethical issues faced by phlebotomists. As long as you do your job carefully, pay attention to details, treat patients with respect and follow all regulations and safety protocol, you will have a successful career in phlebotomy.

Are you interested in pursuing a career as a phlebotomist? If you enjoy conducting scientific analyses, are able to work well under pressure and possess sound dexterity, you would make a strong phlebotomist. Phlebotomists are responsible for taking, analyzing and storing blood samples from patients. We do face an incredibly challenging economy as well as high unemployment. We must also deal with an incredibly fierce and hyper-competitive job market as well. As such, it is vital to examine the career prospects and expected phlebotomist salary. This article will take a look at the details.

Career prospects for phlebotomists are strong and the market for this profession is anticipated to expand between 10 and 20 percent. The US Bureau of Labor predicted 14 percent growth between 2006 and 2016. What is fueling this surge in demand for phlebotomists? The rapidly expanding population of older people is very much responsible for the strong job prospects for phlebotomy jobs. This portion of the population requires significant medical attention, which means that there will be a greater need for phlebotomists to take and analyze blood samples. Independent medical laboratories are expected to have very high demand for phlebotomists because hospitals now tend to send a greater portion of their work to independent outside laboratories.

Now that we have established that career prospects look to be strong for phlebotomists throughout the next decade, it is important to look at the earning potential for this profession. As with most professions, experience, employer type and geographic location all play a role in determining salary. In 2009, the average hourly and annual salary for a phlebotomist was $12.84 and $26,710, respectively. These numbers change fairly significantly in some cases when you take experience, employer and location into consideration.

If you believe you possess the characteristics necessary to become a phlebotomy tech and ultimately choose to do so, feel confident knowing that job prospects are expected to be strong for this profession. The fact that the population of older people is rapidly expanding means that there will be greater demand for phlebotomists to take and analyze blood samples. If you are interest in learning about salary information for this profession, you need to research the average pay for phlebotomists in the location you wish to work.

As job seekers, we’re often so intent on finding employment that we neglect to really assess a potential employer to see if it’s a good fit for us and this can certainly be the case when searching for phlebotomy jobs. However, by asking a few basic questions, you can get a better understanding of what type of working environment an employer might provide for you as a phlebotomist, the type of role you would play in the organization, and the prospects for an increase in the phlebotomist salary and advancement opportunities.

“Can you tell me the primary three tasks for which I will be responsible?”

As a phlebotomist, you will very often have a standard set of daily responsibilities for your shift. However, these can vary quite a bit between phlebotomy jobs. By asking the employer what specific duties you will be expected to do day in and day out, you can get a better understanding as to whether or not it will be a good fit for you and keep you challenged and stimulated throughout the day.

“Why did you choose to work here?”

This can be a great question to ask when evaluating various phlebotomy jobs. By asking the interviewer or other personnel within the lab, clinic, or hospital why they chose the organization as an employer, you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses associated with the company. If there are particular benefits to working with the organization, it can be helpful to find out what people enjoy about the employer.

“Will I have opportunities for growth?”

If you are interested in finding phlebotomy jobs that will allow you to move up in your career and accept positions of increased responsibility, it’s important to ask this question before being hired. You will need to find out if you will be expected to remain in a position as a staff phlebotomist or if the prospects for advancement and an increased phlebotomist salary will be present.

“To whom will I be reporting?”

This can be a great question to find out a little more about the structure of the organization when evaluating phlebotomy jobs. It can give you good insight into the company culture, as well as provide a clear understanding of what you can expect if and when you report to work.

“Can you tell me about the culture of the organization?”

It becomes very difficult to go to work each day if you don’t enjoy the environment you work in and the people you work with. Phlebotomy jobs tend to span such a wide range of employment settings that it’s a good idea to ask about the general culture within the organization to see if it’s a  good fit for you.

By asking the right questions before accepting potential phlebotomy jobs, you can ensure that you understand enough about the position, the culture, and the phlebotomist salary associated with an opening to make a sound decisions as to whether or not it’s right for you.

Obviously, there are several steps involved in beginning a career in phlebotomy and working toward a phlebotomist salary. However, after you finish your training program, the next hurdle will be to get out and start interviewing for phlebotomy jobs in your area. In an effort to help you begin your hunt for a satisfying phlebotomy job and set you on your way to a phlebotomist salary, we’re going to explore a few basic interview tips in this article.

Know the Employer

One of the most important preparation factors when you’re beginning to interview for various phlebotomy jobs is to do thorough research on the company or health care provider you’re going to interview with. By taking some time to find out about the organization, such as their history, practices, and the patients they serve, you’re showing that you have taken a true interest in the organization. This signals to a prospective employer that you are looking for more than just a phlebotomist salary, but an employer that will be rewarding and satisfying to work with.

Practice Interviewing

As with any type of performance or activity that you want to do well at, you should practice interviewing for phlebotomy jobs. There are quite a few ways to do this, but the first step is to put together a list of potential interview questions and think through your answers to each one of them. To compile a list, you may want to search online for interview questionnaires. This will help you to begin thinking through sound responses to the questions which you may face in the interview. If you have a video camera, you might want to even record yourself responding to some of the questions to help you work on other non-verbal signals such as your body language and hand movements while you are speaking.

Work on Behavioral-Based Interview Questions

Many employers are beginning to move toward an interview practice which involves asking behavioral-based interview questions. The basic premise of this practice is that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. And with this in mind, employers are beginning to rephrase questions to ask things like “Tell me about a time when you worked through a conflict with a co-worker” as opposed to asking “How would you handle a conflict with a co-worker”. Obviously, the latter can be answered with any type of fluffed-up hypothetical positivity, whereas the former forces the interviewee to discuss how they have actually handled a situation based on past facts. However, these types of questions can be difficult to answer if you haven’t taken the time to think through past scenarios and how you dealt with them successfully. Take some time to think about how you can use your past work experiences to convince an employer of your competencies.

Be Prepared

Prior to actually interviewing for any of the phlebotomy jobs that you are looking into, be sure to work through the details of the interview beforehand. For example, be sure that you know the location of the interview, who you will be meeting with and their role in the organization, as well as how long it will take you to get there so that you can arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Be sure to take along several copies of your resume to provide to the employer and any other staff members that may decide to sit in on the interview at the last minute.

By preparing to interview for phlebotomy jobs, you can ensure that you have the best chances of successfully landing the position you want and you’ll be on your way to a phlebotomist salary.