Overview
The process of drawing blood from the patient’s veins, either for medical laboratory analysis or for transfusion procedures is referred to as venipuncture. In essence, it is done a medical specialist known as a phlebotomist. The duty of a phlebotomist in many places is performed by doctors, nurses and other medical specialists. Nevertheless, due to the rapid expansion and growth of the health care industry in New York, more and more hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers are opting to employing phlebotomists for the collection, handling and the management of collected blood samples.
There are many schools and colleges in New York that offer phlebotomy courses. Below is a list of some of the best phlebotomy schools in NY.
- Branford Hall Career Institute in Bohemia New York
- Sanford-Brown Institute in Garden City, White Plains, New York
- Suburban Technical School in Hempstead, New York
- Everest Institute in Rochester, New York
- Wood Tobe-Coburn School in New York, New York
Certified phlebotomy technicians or phlebotomists are usually employed in hospitals, pathology laboratories, blood donation organizations, clinics, medical offices and pharmaceutical firms. Maintaining a staff of trained phlebotomy help such organizations or institutions to reduce the workload of their physicians and their usual assistants, thus enabling them carry out other medical related tasks efficiently. Apart from collecting blood samples, phlebotomy technicians also perform diagnostic procedures and help in analyzing and interpreting the resultant medical tests.
Top cities in New York hiring phlebotomists
- New York City
- Albany
- Amsterdam
- Jamestown
- Long Beach
- Niagara Falls
- North Tonawanda
- Yonkers
- Syracuse
- Utica
Essential training and certification
To become a phlebotomist in the New York State, a candidate must at least have a high school diploma or its equivalent, in addition to getting the proper phlebotomy training or phlebotomy certification course. The course duration varies from one state to the other, but usually ranges from three to twelve months.
In New York State, phlebotomy certification is offered by the following agencies; the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), National Healthcareer Association (NHA), American Medical Technologist, American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), Association of Phlebotomy Technicians, National Phlebotomy Association and so forth. Remember, certification programs are not equal; some are highly valued by employers while others are not. So, it is advisable to do some research before enrolling for a particular phlebotomy certification program in NY.
Personality and skills required for this vocation
The main duty of a phlebotomist is to collect blood samples and is usually done through a process called venipuncture. As this is a process that involves puncturing veins and inserting needles into patient’s veins so as to draw blood, a phlebotomist is required to make the patient feel as comfortable as possible during the entire procedure.
Good communication skills, patience, observation skills, hard working nature, excellent interpersonal skills, presence of mind and ability to swiftly learn new things are some of the essential qualities a successful phlebotomist should possess.
Salary expectations and career prospects
For beginning phlebotomists, the salaries they get are somewhat low as compare to the other available medical jobs. As a new inexperienced entrant medical practitioner, your salary will range from $18,000 to $25,000 per annum. However, as you continue to gain experience, your salary will concurrently increase and you could find yourself taking home something ranging from $26,000 to $31,000 per annum. Earning more than $31,000 per annum is possible for those who have more than ten years of experience. In New York, the average phlebotomist salary is approximately $35,000 per annum and is mostly paid on hourly basis.
According to the government analysts, over the next ten years, this medical field will enjoy a faster job growth as compared to the other sectors of medical career. While the America’s baby boomer generation has played a bigger role in enabling its growth, advances in technology has ensured that phlebotomist will continue to enjoy better job prospects for decades to come.
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