PHLEBOTOMY - What is it and how much does a phlebotomist get

Phlebotomy is the act of drawing blood because of testing or transfusion. It's a skill employed by physicians and many professionals in allied health fields, including medical assistants, paramedics, and clinical laboratory scientists. Certification is legally required in only two states of USA. However most employers prefer to employ certified professionals. Medical care is a rapidly expanding industry, plus a new professional, the certified phlebotomist, minimises the workload of doctors and nurses by focusing exclusively on blood collection, specifically in hospitals and blood drives.



Depending on the regional characteristics in the organization they benefit, phlebotomists may have to travel to collect samples (this is referred to as a domiciliary service). They could travel to nursing homes or outpatient clinics to recover samples.

What Is a Phlebotomist?

Phlebotomists, generally speaking, are unlicensed allied health care professionals working under the guidance and supervision of medical technologists or laboratory managers. Many operate in blood donation centers. They collect and preserve people's blood, urine, or stool samples for occult blood testing in hospitals, medical facilities, ambulatory medical centers, or freestanding clinical laboratories. These specimens have been requested by a physician, or licensed medical practitioner, for laboratory testing.

Reasons Becoming a Phlebotomist

People who chose phlebotomist as his or her career told us they become a phlebotomy because it was the perfect job they could enjoy with flexible hours and good pay.



Some other reasons were:



* Because of the various employment options, including per diem, contract staffing, temp to engage, direct placement, or working extra weekends per month


* Because they often can set their unique schedule and choose their hours


* Because it's perfect for those who want a career change and like meeting new people Published in the BLS Occupational Outlook Quarterly in spring 2000.

Phlebotomist Salary

The median expected phlebotomist salary for any in the United States is $29,407. This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals' analysis of survey data collected from a large number of HR departments at employers of sizes, industries and geographies.



In britain, as of October 2009, phlebotomists can expect to earn £7-£10 by the hour while cord blood phlebotomists can earn as much as £25 per hour. According to careercruising.com , a Canadian phlebotomist can expect to earn approximately CAD$14 to $20 per hour, or $25 000 to $42 000 per year. In a 2008 salary survey conducted by Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals, the typical U.S. salary for phlebotomists was $26,297.