Pre-Nursing Interim Occupation Idea

[EyesForward]

I wanted to let you all know how excited I am about picking up Phlebotomy as I prepare to enter nursing school. Last night I did my first draw, and it was easy. I liked it!

Lots of you want to be CNA's through school, and it's also a good plan, but Phlebotomy can be learned inexpensively through many community night school programs (like the one I'm taking), in a relatively short period of time. The pay is about the same, and the job, depending on your point of view, is a little 'cleaner', you could say. You still get clinical exposure and the 'insider's' view of the hospital environment, and have a real head start on the whole IV thing.

If you're looking for a quick and easy route to clinical exposure while working your way through school you should consider Phlebotomy. My plan is to get on board part-time with one of the local hospitals as soon as my clincals are over, and earn tuition reimbursement through nursing school while earning a buck or two.

My community night school program was about $350.00, plus a book, and was 8 weeks long, once/wk, for three hours/night. After that you do about 80 hours of internship, and you're off and running. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

[IDreamOfJeanne]

Thanks for your referring me to this posting! As you know, I, too, am in a phlebotomy course right now at a community college, although my program sounds a bit different than yours -- 120 hours of class time which runs through mid-December, then 120 hours of clinical, which works out to fifteen 8-hour days of clinical exposure. The cost was $115, plus a $45 book. But we haven't started sticks yet -- a can't wait!

I, too, am thinking this will be a much less stressful job while in nursing school. However, being a Nurse Tech in the hospital currently, and seeing the lab team in action on my floor, I'm having my doubts as to whether the "less stress" idea is a fantasy. The lab person is the most dreaded healthcare provider for the patient -- the patients do NOT like to see the lab team coming. I'm amazed at the number of adults that act like children while having blood drawn! So, although the lab team isn't responsible for ADLs, and thus don't have to meet the personal demands of 10+ patients each night, they DO have to deal with some very unhappy patients, at least temporarily. I will be inquiring of some of our lab employees as to the number of patients they deal with per shift, and hope to get a better idea of what their responsibilities, and stress levels, are. I'll pass that info along to you, also, if you'd like! Best wishes to you!

[AmyLiz]

I've thought about doing that too. Right now I'm in an NA training course which is required by my nursing school, but I don't really plan on working as one, unless it is in a hospital setting. I've toyed with taking my school's Phlebotomy class anyway for just the reason you've stated...getting a head start on learning how to "stick" people!

heheh...sounds like I'm sadistic, but I'm really not...I swear!

[Newbie4]

I got my CNA early in the summer. A friend I met in the CNA class convinced me to take phlebotomy in the second summer session. I loved it! Yesterday I did a job shadow in the local hospital and followed a phlebotomist around for 2 hours. I liked the way she was able to flow through all parts of the hospital and saw a little of everything. She was constantly reprioritizing her draws based on patients' needs and procedures being ordered. One thing too, it seemed that she was considered to be a real partner by the Nursing staff. Maybe treated a little more professionally than the CNAs in some areas. I really hope I can turn this into the paid position to get my patient care hours to apply for nursing school. I sent the phlebotomist and her supervisor thank you letters right away. Cross my fingers. The job market in Oregon is horrible.

AmyLiz: I want to know more about your dragon tag line.