In this post, we discuss phlebotomy online training. The advent of the internet has given distance education an entirely new dimension and an increasing number of students now prefer online education for the many advantages it offer. However, courses that involve hands-on training are not very amendable to a 100% online training format. We look at phlebotomy online training in this context.

Introduction

Phlebotomy involves drawing blood from a person, often a patient, for diagnostic, research or transfusion purposes. A phlebotomist is a professional responsbile for thus drawing blood, storing it appropriately and passing it on for the purpose it is meant for. It is estimated that there are approximately 30,000 phlebotomists who work in various hospitals, blood banks and independent laboratories. The health care industry is one that is recession-proof and has been growing over the years. This trend is expected  to continue in the next decade and so opportunities for allied health professionals like phlebotomists are expected to remain good.

Becoming a phlebotomist

Traditionally, phlebotomy used to be part of the responsibilities of a nurse, nursing assistant or laboratory staff. At times, even physicians drew blood from patients. Over time, all this changed and phlebotomy became an independent specialized function. In the initial days of its coming into being, phlebotomy was a skill that one learned on the job. A hospital or laboratory would recruit trainee phlebotomists who were put under the supervision of a senior nurse or phlebotomist. After a few weeks of on-the-job training these trainees would become full-blooded phlebotomists. However, at present, the preference is for phlebotomists who have undergone formal training. This is because phlebotomists so trained are more conversant with the legal and safety aspects of their job as well as more professional in their job including communicating with patients.

There exists hundreds of vocational schools and community colleges in the United States that offer phlebotomy training. A typical phlebotomy program lasts around a month or two and comprises both theory and practical sessions. Students are required to have a high school diploma or GED to be eligible for admission to a phlebotomy program. Becoming a phlebotomist is not that difficult from a training perspective. The coursework is rather short and light.

Phlebotomy online training

With more and more employers preferring phlebotomists with formal training and even phlebotomy certification, prospective phlebotomists too are increasingly turning to formal phlebotomy training. The costs vary between institutions but typically a phlebotomy training program can cost upwards of $2000. An online phlebotomy program should logically cost lower and help you learn the skill at your convenience. However, there do not exist any viable opportunities to receive phlebotomy training online.

While it is true that a few phlebotomy online training programs do exist, they are suited only to those who are already working in a health care establishment where they can practice the various procedures. Alternatively, the student should have a pre-arranged facility where they will be able to do hands-on training based on what they see in theirinstruction videos. If you are an aspiring phlebotomist, we advise you to go for a regular phlebotomy training program or, if it is possible, enroll as a trainee phlebotomist in a nearby hospital with laboratory. While phlebotomy online training sounds a good idea, it may not be worth your while to do it.