Should I get my plebotomy certification?

I know PCT's (Patient Care Technicians) in ER's are often phlebotomists. At the hospital I work at these PCT's help admitting the patients, get their information, take vital signs, weigh and measure patients, transfer them, help put on splints, AND take blood samples if they are certified. It's a useful skill in such a setting because it takes time to order the labs and then have a lab tech walk over from the lab, etc etc.

If I hadn't decided to go for monitor tech, I would have loved to take up phlebotomy. It will be an awesome skill to have before you get through NS, too! I still see many nurses struggle with starting IV's. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Most hospitals give you a venipuncture class and after you successfully pass the class you receive your certification.

I work as an NA at a hospital and after working for 3 months they sent me to the classes.

I would obtain the certification, for sure. Many hospitals do hire CNAs as technicians, and if they already know that you were trained to draw, it looks better, even though they may train you again. You will not be as afraid to obtain a sample and yes, it is a great skill to have as a nurse. As we speak right now, many nurses are not able to draw blood. I was a CNA when I took the phlebotomy class and drew for many years. Became an LPN last year, and one of my side job assignments is being a vaccination nurse for the US Army. Because I am a nurse that can draw blood, I get many assignments...sometimes, even more than the RNs, simply because many of them that work for my agency can't.

It would be helpful for now, as well as in nursing school. Go for it!

Hi, I agree w/Pagandeva, it will def help you. I am a new CNA, & recently finished an intensive phleb course (6 months). Knowing how to already draw blood helped me get a PCT job at a hosptial w/no other experience.

The hospital that I work at doesn't have a team that comes to the floors for labs, the PCT's draw all the blood.

A lot of facilities will train CNAs to do phleb. Then, depending on the certification provider, you can apply for certification. Where I received my cert through I had to have verification of doing phleb for 5 years, pay their fee, take and pass the test- this is for national certification.Though, you need to make sure it is within your scope of practice which ever state you live in.

If you don't mind me asking, could you please share where you work (which hospital)? I'm in the Chicago area too and was also thinking about taking a phlebotomy course.

Thanks!

Hi, I agree w/Pagandeva, it will def help you. I am a new CNA, & recently finished an intensive phleb course (6 months). Knowing how to already draw blood helped me get a PCT job at a hosptial w/no other experience.

The hospital that I work at doesn't have a team that comes to the floors for labs, the PCT's draw all the blood.

I work in CT and I know that at the hospital I work for they train you on site to do plebotomy they do not take people with certifications from out side of the hospital... It all depends on who you work for...

It really depends on the hospital. I live and work in Omaha, also, and I know at least at Children's Hospital it doesn't matter if you are certified as a phlebotomist or not, they won't let you draw blood if you are working as a CNA (or Child Care Parner, as they call it here). I know, I asked b/c I was thinking about doing the same thing. I would find out from the hospital(s) you are thinking about applying at, b/c I wouldn't want to waste the time and money to take a course that I wouldn't be able to use anyway. You know?