Help me decide for a Phlebotomy course please!

[mednow123]

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Hey guys, I am currently taking an EMT B course and will have my license in a few months, and will be using it around next coming spring (2010). I also have the choice to take a phlebotomy course right now, but need help deciding-

I read that finding a job as a phlebotomist isn't too hard or easy, but the hours are really bad most of the time. Most poeple have posted that it's an early job, and I don't mind the times or anything, but just how bad is it actually? I know it depends on location, size, etc. but just in general?

Also, I know I should first check the area to see if any phlebotomy jobs are even near me, but I have only found one or two. I live in the New York-Queens area, so if anyone knows if this area is generally easy to find a job in I would be thankful. I live near Manhattan so that's an option too if you have info

Just general info/advice would be helpful. I will be attending college this coming fall as a sophomore, and will use my EMT license that spring. I don't want to end up taking this course and paying so much and find out the only job avaiblle is on weekdays when I have class.

Thanks!!!

 

[NKat]

I recently got certified as a phlebotomist in Manhattan and am finding that it's quite difficult to get a job without significant phlebotomy experience.

 

[mednow123]

How do we gain that experience? That was one of my main concerns, how do we gain experience if the places you want to gain it from already require experience?

 

[NKat]

It is a problem.

Some places will let you volunteer to get experience, but most don't want to deal with liability issues that come with that (and, obviously, there's the issue of not getting paid for volunteer work). I finished my course two weeks ago and haven't found anything yet. I don't really recommend getting the certification unless you're already working in a hospital or clinic and are told that you should get the training.

 

[pietachok]

If you are in the NYC area, I wouldn't find it worthwhile to get the phleb certification if you are talking about taking an expensive and relatively time consuming course. NYC actually doesn't require phleb certification, so any course you take is only to prove competency and/or gain experience. MSSM offers a 4 hr course through the nursing dept., and I assume other med schools do as well. In my experience it was easier to get another job and just pose the phleb as an extra skill for that one.

See pg 52:
www.mountsinai.org/img/vgn_lnk/Regular Content/File/Nursing Education/Catalogue2009.pdf

 

[mvenus929]

This probably won't apply to you, since the area I live in is very different from NC, but I'll give my $.02 anyway...

I got hired in January after doing a 4 week training in October/November. I applied to the same position at the hospital I'm currently working at several times before I was happy. We were fully staffed for about 3 months. Now, we're hiring at least 1 PRN person, 1 Full-time graveyard person, and 1 part-time afternoon person. I was hired PRN, but got a full-time position when the girl I was hired with got fired because she seemed to have lied on her application (she said she had a year of experience, but her trainer said it didn't look like she had ever drawn blood before). We had two PRN positions open, who we gave offers to 5 people for, but none of them made it through the process. Phlebotomy has a very high turn-over rate.

So, it might be worth it, especially since ER Techs here routinely draw blood. But, it also might not be, since the experience is a big hurdle you'll have to overcome.