Phlebmom

Don't worry!! Practice is the only way to be truly good at phlebotomy and it's not necessary for many positions within medicine. If you ever want to improve your skills, just do more. As many draws as you can.

From my experience I would say "yes" to phlebotomy! Getting a "shift" job in a hospital if you are planning on working during school is a great option, because hospitals are 24/7 operations and you can work it around your school and clinical schedules.

Not unless the job posting actually requires the certification to apply. Many CNA jobs don't require a state certification.

CNA jobs are definitely more prevalent. If you prefer phlebotomy, try to choose a program that includes an internship or externship so you can get experience to put on your resume. This also gives you the opportunity to get to know staff in a clinical setting which increases the chance you will be hired there after graduating from the program.

Apply anyway. Hospitals and doctor's offices and independent testing labs. Be persistent until you get a call. Especially for doctor's offices, go in person to drop off your resume, wear clothes that you would wear to an interview, and be pleasant. Put your resume in an envelope with a cover letter addressed to the office manager (call ahead a different day and kindly ask who the office manager). Ask the office receptionist to give it to the office manager. Be persistent.

CNA will teach you basic patient care. Be prepared for bed baths, assisting patients with basic functions such as toileting and eating. Phlebotomy will teach you venipuncture, and depending on your setting will give you patient interaction and could allow you to see different units in a hospital (inpatient phlebotomy), or limit your interaction to an outpatient lab where patients come to you. If by MT you mean medical technologist, that is a whole different path. Scientific testing, you'll make a little less than a nurse but more than phlebotomy or CNA. Definitely a different pathway. Do you want to work in a laboratory processing samples, calling nurses and doctors with test results, and calibrating/maintaining testing machines?

Try: 2 tourniquets (don't leave them on too long of course, follow protocol) Hang the patient's arm down over the side of the bed - use gravity Warm the patient's arm with a warm blanket or wet wash cloth (depending on what's available in your setting) Find an experienced phlebotomist and ask to follow them and watch what they do, ask how they troubleshoot, learn their techniques

There are intense semester-long phlebotomy programs and there are 2 day certification classes. Having a great instructor makes a difference, but honestly, what will make you a great phlebotomist is experience. If you can find a program with an internship or externship where you will be working under phlebotomists in a hospital getting real experience, you will not only be able to practice drawing blood on real patients, but get a foot in the door to the hospital environment where you will get your best experience and hone your skills.

It depends on the type of office you work in whether you will actually be required to draw blood. It might appear on the job application but that can just be standard. Some larger doctors offices have a phlebotomist on staff (there's a cardiology office nearby me that has a phlebotomist on staff at all times) so nurses don't draw blood. You can't get good at phlebotomy without practice, but I know many medical assistance who haven't draw blood since their MA program. Don't let it stop you from applying for MA positions, just do your best to scout out the office setup and assess their needs.

Experience is the only way to become good at phlebotomy. Especially inpatient experience on patients who are actually sick. It is different than starting IVs, but will help you become comfortable with such an invasive procedure AND will help you learn to find veins. It is a real skill to learn how to find veins by feeling/palpating. If you don't you will be stuck calling for a vein finder if you can't see anything viable.

Hi Going2bRN! Did you attend the Evening/Weekend Program or the Day Program? Any advice for a student working fulltime on how to manage enough study time on top of work without compromising health? Thank you!