PHLEBOTOMY TECHNICIAN

What Does a Phlebotomy Technician Do?

Phlebotomists typically do the following:

  • Draw blood from patients and blood donors
  • Talk with patients and donors to help them feel less nervous about having their blood drawn
  • Verify a patient’s or donor’s identity to ensure proper labeling of the blood
  • Label the drawn blood for testing or processing
  • Enter patient information into a database
  • Assemble and maintain medical instruments such as needles, test tubes, and blood vials
  • Keep work areas clean and sanitary
  • Phlebotomists primarily draw blood, which is
  • then used for different kinds of medical laboratory testing. In medical and diagnostic laboratories, patient interaction is sometimes only with the phlebotomist.
  • Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations

Phlebotomist Program Overview

  • 56 total clock hours (theory and lab skills)
  • Clinical externship not required
  • Duration depends on schedule
  • Tuition: $1,375

Phlebotomy Course Schedules

  • 3 days a week on Monday and Wednesday for 4 hours
  • Day Session: 9:30am-2:00pm
  • Evening Session: 5:30pm-10:00pm
  • Saturday mornings for 6.5 hours from 8:30am-3:00pm
  • Weekend only sessions meet 1 weekend day a week for 7 hours for 8 sessions

Work Environment

Hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, blood donor centers, and other locations will need phlebotomists to perform bloodwork. Work environment statistically are as follows:

  • Hospitals, state, local, and private: 39%
  • Medical and diagnostic laboratories: 31%
  • All other ambulatory healthcare services: 15%
  • Offices of physicians: 7%
  • Outpatient care centers: 2%

Average Phlebotomist Wage & Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023 the median annual wage for medical assistants was $41,810 / $20.10 per hour. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Growth is 8%, which is faster growth than the national average.