CNA or Phlebotomist...or both?

I can't decide if I should become a CNA, or Phlebotomist. Which would be a better position and which would pay better? Should I get my certification in both?

[AquariusMoon X]

So I became a Nationally Certified Phlebotomist in 2010. (CPT NHA) . I have worked as a phlebotomy or in the lab ever since-because as a phlebotomist you can also bid on laboratory processing positions. I have worked as a traveling phlebotomist drawing nursing homes and home draws, I have managed my own draw station, I have worked in a team at a hospital draw station, I have done hospital draws including ER draws, and my experience is with all ages infant to geriatric, inpatient outpatient (obviously) and I also have 6 ish years experience working in laboratory processing , receiving in samples, ordering samples, pouring off samples, cataloging specimens after testing (tubes are stored for a week in case they need to be pulled for further testing) correcting sample issues, etc. I have trained others as they on board. I currently am working as a on the road (traveling) phlebotomist. I have a 6a-2p schedule , work every 3rd weekend , and have 6 mandatory on call days for OT every 6 weeks that I set my schedule for I pick them myself . I placed them all on weekends , 6p-10p so that I still have lots of time with my child during the week. Currently my pay is 24.61 per hour, and I am paid 70 cents (the federal rate) for every mile I drive while on the road. Yesterday I drove 84/86 ish miles and made about 60.20 in gas mileage which once entered /submitted is not taxed. I start my day at a nursing home, I do all the draws the nursing home needs done, usually about 30/40. Then when I finish , if I finish early I go help someone else with their nursing home or if everyone is mostly clear in my area I have a little bit to get coffee before the nearest draw station opens - when they open I go drop my nursing home specimens off and call for a stat courier to come get them and take them to the core lab. Then I get my home draw list faxed to me , and I usually have between 5 and 7 homedraws to complete between 930 and 2pm, but we are split up by zones and my zone can cover anywhere from 10 miles in a well populated area to 40 miles in a rural area, so that makes the traveling from each place take longer , so when I get my list in the morning I start out with the one closest to where I am then I go to the one furthest out from my drop off /clock out point, and then work my way in. While doing my homedraws I am also responsible for any nursing home stat draws that are called in, or hospice home draws that are called in. That can throw the schedule off a bit because hospice takes priority over everything, and if they have a timed test like a VBG or ammonia I have to draw that take that to the nearest hospital lab affiliated with the company I work for, and the continue where I left off-even if it's many miles away. There are days my "breaks" are just the time I get to myself during travel, and there are days when I finish everyone and nothing pages out and I get to just kind of hang out in my zone and relax with my phone on in case I am needed before it's time to head back to the lab. I take my blood back to the lab , stamp it in, restock my bag , and clock out!

As far as finding a job, I have worked for 3 major companies in my area, and moved about positions within those companies, and I have never had a issue moving from company to company or finding a job. That may be because the companies I work for are out of a big city and we do outreach (what I do now) as well -and that requires more employees, so more options for employment are available.

The company I work for has a program where if you want to go to school for your 2 or 4 year lab tech and you already work in the lab, they pay your tuition in full, provides tutoring, they also schedule your work hours around school, and then once it comes time to be close to clinical you get put into a "student clinical lab tech " position . In this position you are paid, and you work with control specimens under the supervision of a certified laboratory technologist, and you are paid. When clinicals start, you do your clinicals at work, and you are paid for those as well. My company has a relationship with 2 schools in the area for this program. Once you have graduated -you then move straight into a Laboratory Technician/Laboratory Technologist position , no need for job hunting. The minute you sign onto the program you know you are guaranteed a job upon graduation, you also know you will have zero student loans at the end. I start for the 2025 season in August/ September . I am very excited and I am lucky my company pays for all schooling costs, not just a certain amount of tuition reimbursement. I am also lucky that because it's a specific program , they work around your daily school schedule to make sure you can still work and go to school without conflict, and during exam time they will even allow you to lower your hours for that time period so you can study and make sure you do your best on your exams.

I love working in the lab. I like patients , but I don't have the desire to do all aspects of patient care. I like to know I am making a difference in their lives and in their health, but I don't have to pass meds or clean up or anything. I like that I get to develop relationships with patients , but I also don't have the added responsibility of hands on patient care-my scope is limited to lab work. 
 

I think phlebotomy is a very good place to start, and there are lots of growth opportunities afterwards. If you further your education you don't HAVE to work in healthcare. I really want to work eventually as a bench chemist. (Someone who handles evidence brought in from a crime or a case that has happened, tests the specimen /substance, results it and signs, and that result then is used for proof at trial or in court, and you can be called as a expert in court cases). I also thought of going into pathology. I don't want to just get my 4 year and stop. I find all aspects of the lab very interesting and fun to learn about. 
 

It is definitely something to look into if you think you would enjoy it, (and you have the ability to be detail oriented and have a steady hand, amongst other needed skills like bedside manner, communication, time management, etc.