phlebotomy before nursing?

[litchi]

Hello everyone.. I am in need of some advice.

I have applied to a couple nursing programs and will hopefully be a student nurse this fall! In the meantime, I was thinking about taking a one semester phlebotomy course over the summer. The main reason why I'm considering this is because I think the experience would be valuable to me as a future nurse. I also wouldn't complain if I could work as a phlebotomist during school, but..if I don't get a job as a phlebotomist, all is not lost (I hope!). I would like to have some kind of related work experience while I'm in nursing school...so I was thinking the phlebotomy experience might make my application stand out whenever I start looking for work as an aid later on.

The class itself isn't that expensive--only about $300. There are additional expenses though. I would also be responsible for buying a textbook, lab kit, handbook, and scrub uniform. Then, there are also preclinical requirement expenses including (but not limited to) malpractice insurance, a health exam, immunizations, lab testing, a drug screen and a background check. I know I need to talk to my school to find out what the total would come to, but they closed early on my one day off this week! Spring break is next week and the school will be closed, so I won't get a chance to speak with anyone till the following week. All of that seems like it could really add up though.. I don't have any grants or loans, so it would all be out of pocket.

I know that I can learn the skills necessary to become a good nurse without the class, and I could probably even get a job as an aid once I've completed a semester or two of nursing school. I guess I'm wondering if it's really worth it or not? Will I learn enough during school (or through on the job training) to be comfortable with sticking needles in people?

If it matters at all, I would ultimately like to go on to be an advance practice nurse of some sort.. I'm holding off on a decision as to what kind of APN I'd like to be until I actually get some experience under my belt. However, I know some APNs can do things like central lines, tube insertions, lumbar punctures, etc. I'd like to be really comfortable with poking people before I get to that point (I know that's a long way off, but I like to be prepared! I want to be the absolute best I can be.).. so that's why I was thinking the phlebotomy class would be a good start. What do you think?

[passredskins1]

its good.....i am an LPN...and i dont know how to do this pholebetomy stuff.....and hey also dont teach u in nursing school b/c the teachers said u will learn it on teh job..drawing blood..putting peripjeral lines..

go for it..if it wont affect yur schedule.....

[NGeorgia]

I worked as a phlebotomist and really enjoyed it. I now know what it is like to work in a hospital which I hope will help me in school (what to expect, ease nerves, etc)

[sonyah]

I was also considering taking a phlebotomy course prior to nursing. I'm a little nervous about being able to draw blood and start IVs so was worried that I would fail nursing school if I had problems with that. That is my only hesitation about nursing school. I know that it will be hard work and lots of studying which I am prepared to do. Is there alot of emphasis placed on this skill during nursing school or is this skill normally learned on the job?

[juliaann]

I wouldn't expect your supplies to add up too much. When I took my CNA class through a community college my tuition was about $300, and then we had to buy our texts (2 - one CNA, one HHA), a BP/steth/therm kit, and scrubs. Those costs were right around $100 for me, and honestly the majority of that was the textbooks. I got my scrubs and supply kit from an online nursing gear/scrubs store for cheap cheap cheap. The scrubs only needed to last through clinicals (I have to wear a different color at work), so quality didn't matter much. You can find cheap scrub sets at a bunch of different online stores, and usually locally too. Check out the "Nursing Gear" forum under the "General" tab for some online shop recommendations.

Good luck!

[nrsnic, BSN, RN]

i was a phlebotomist for almost 9 years prior to becoming a nurse, and i would highly recommend it to anyone. while a cna may work more closely with a nurse, at least in my experience, they might not get the same diversity of work. most cna's in my hospital only work on one or two floors whereas the phlebotomists go literally everywhere blood can be drawn. i believe the one thing phlebotomy will teach you that will help you more than anything else is just how to deal with people, and more importantly, how to deal with people who don't want you to do what you need to do.

this sort of environment really helped me to build my confidence and made it easy to talk to patients and see them...something that really many new grad nurses have a hard time doing. i learned how to use my hands without having to look at them while doing something that is really quite dangerous (ever wonder why anyone that handles blood or body fluids has to have a blood borne pathogen quiz or lecture every year?). i learned how to adapt to different environments and how to read a person in under 30 seconds. i can't tell you how many people are impressed with my grasp of certain basic things that a lot of new grads lack from simply not being exposed much to the medical environment in a diverse way.

it certainly isn't for everyone, but if you have a hard time doing this sort of job, you might want to rethink you're career choice anyway

[SharonH, RN]

I really see no value in this especially for $300 plus expenses. Phlebotomy is a skill that is learned with practice and you may or not get that in nursing school but then again you may or may not even use it in your nursing career! If you want to be an APN, again the phlebotomy aspect of it is the least of the skills you will need.

Save your money, you will need it.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Excellent idea. They do not teach it in nsg school. After 15 Years as a nurse (all non hospital)i have a job where it is to my benefit to draw blood myself instead of sending them to the lab. I took that type of course. If i had done it before nsg school I would have been a lot LESS stressed during school.

[AndieWoke]

i did that too before i started nursing school and then i did the hospital internship where i had to complete a certain number of 'sticks' in order to pass the class. i think it's a good idea because you aren't going to get much, if any, practice in nursing school for phlebotomy and it's really handy to be able to do it yourself once you're on a floor because sometimes you don't have a tech or they can't get to it quickly enough because they have so many other things to do too. and there's always warm fuzzies if you can help the techs out if they're having a busy morning, and that can come in handy also.

:) andie

[sunnycalifRN]

I also did phlebotomy for 5 years prior to nursing. I see no "down-side" to doing it. Since I work in ICU, we have to do our own peripheral sticks for blood cultures and the skill developed as a phlebotomist makes it easy, even for the edematous patients. You will learn to locate and palpate veins well, which is invaluable for starting IV's. However, peripheral sticks and starting IV's are only tasks, a very minor part of nursing, overall.