Tuesday, September 30, 2014

The Importance of Being Certified as a Phlebotomist

When you decided to become a phlebotomist, you may have thought that the training and your professional work would be easier than it turned out to be. After all, how hard can it be to draw blood from patients? Soon you discovered that phlebotomists often work in fast-paced environments, in which they need to collect blood from dozens of people each day. They must do this efficiently and while causing a minimum of discomfort to each person. They deal with individuals who are nervous or even fearful about needles, who don't feel well and aren't happy about being at the hospital or clinic, and who have small veins that simply don't cooperate well with blood draws.

It's no wonder that becoming a certified phlebotomist with the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians requires a rigorous exam to verify you have a high level of expertise. The written and practical parts of the test confirm to employers that you possess the knowledge and skills necessary to do an excellent job for them.

To keep your certification active, you'll complete at least six hours of continuing education each year. You'll have the chance to do more in-depth study of topics such as laboratory ergonomics, blood-borne pathogens and specific disease awareness in the workplace.

Being a certified phlebotomist with this particular society provides you with credentials that employers value, giving you a competitive edge in the job market. Those credentials also help you progress in your career goals with any one organization.

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