Phlebotomist Job Description

July - 17 - 2010 Author: Elizabeth Moore Respond

The job description of a phlebotomist mainly comprises of drawing blood from patients. They are the health care professionals who are in much demand in places such as blood banks and hospitals. Among the various medical jobs, the job of a phlebotomist stands out because of its scope and competitive requirements. The salaries for these professionals is seeing an upward trend and the growth of the health care industry in general, is the basic reason behind this. Phlebotomist job description given below will help you understand what these people exactly do.

Phlebotomist Job Description

Phlebotomists are required to follow the standard procedures and rules of drawing blood from patients. They have to make sure that the patients do not suffer from any kind of infection because of this procedure. Before drawing blood with the help of a needle, phlebotomist will have to find an accessible vein. Then a tourniquet is placed and an antiseptic is used for precautionary purposes. Keeping the phlebotomy region clean and ensuring that there is a sufficient stock of the supplies available in it is also a vital duty of the phlebotomist. While drawing blood of the donor, it is the prime responsibility of the phlebotomist to verify his identity to avoid further complications and legal hassles. He also explains the entire procedure to the donor and makes him feel fully comfortable during the entire procedure. Maintaining cleanliness of trays in which blood is drawn is also a duty of the phlebotomist. These health care professionals work in close association with doctors and nurses in their work places. Preparing specimens for further reference and research is also a task done by them. Phlebotomists have a label of the name of the patient on the tube in which the sample is collected. From this job description for phlebotomist, it is clear that this is an exciting field to make a career in.

In order to become a phlebotomist, you need to have a graduate or post graduate degree in the field of medicine or health care. Getting the necessary certificated and licenses is absolutely essential to work as a phlebotomist. Patience, good communication skills, hard working nature, excellent interpersonal skills, observation skills, ability to learn new things and presence of mind are the useful qualities to become a successful phlebotomist. Now, having understood the phlebotomist job description and requirements, let us discuss the salary packages for phlebotomists in the next section.

Phlebotomist Salary Details

Phlebotomist salary will mostly depend on factors such as number of years of practical experience, type of employer, location of work, skills and educational qualifications of the candidates. Those working in urban locations with leading hospitals will get paid more than those working for small hospitals in rural areas. In the initial years, the phlebotomist salary is somewhat low as compared to other medical jobs. As a new entrant in this field with not much experience, you could possibly start off with around USD 25,000 per year as your salary. With around four to six years of experience, you can easily draw anything between USD 26,000 to USD 29,000 per year. Earning more than USD 31,000 per year would not be difficult for someone with more than ten years of experience. Phlebotomists working in places like New York, California and Texas earn more than their counterparts working in other smaller states. At many places, phlebotomists are paid on an hourly basis. The average phlebotomy technician salary is around USD 35,000 per year.

This was all about phlebotomist job description and salary details. This is one of those hospital jobs which can give you job satisfaction along with a decent and consistent income. So, try your best to become a phlebotomist and secure your future!

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