How long does it take to become a phlebotomy instructor

A phlebotomist is a healthcare professional who has been trained specifically to draw blood safely from a patient’s vein. As such, there are a few basic skills required, such as not being squeamish around bodily fluids and good personal communication skills.

The rest of the requirements are found through training and education. With the final certification being granted to allow you to practice unsupervised in your career.

How long it takes to become a phlebotomist really depends on the path you choose.

Entry Level Requirements

You should be aware that most places will require you to have at least 2 GCSEs or equivalent before embarking on any path. It is technically not essential, but highly recommended as some employers won’t take you on if you don’t have this basic entry requirement.

Some employers or even college courses may ask you to have completed a BTEC or equivalent vocational qualification in health and social care or healthcare. These phlebotomy training courses are typically 2 years long.

Training

Phlebotomy training programs are a lot shorter than most other medical programs. You can get started with a course that is as little as two-days. Bearing in mind that these are basic beginner courses to get you started.

There are many short programs available when training as a phlebotomist. Most of these courses are less than one year but can be up to two years. It all depends on how you train as to the length of the course. Plus, whether you continue on to gain higher skills and qualifications, so that you can move into a senior phlebotomist role.

You will learn the basic skills on how to draw blood correctly. How to interact with your patients and calm them when needed. You will learn about the medical forms and labelling that you are responsible for accurately filling out. How to not cross-contaminate and how to stay safe in your practice. The aim at the end of these courses is that you will have experience in completing numerous skin punctures and disease tests through venipuncture before being left unsupervised.

On the job training

The majority of a phlebotomists training takes place on the job. Gaining a trainee phlebotomist position is highly recommended as it will give you the best chance of gaining full-time or part-time employment after your training has finished.

We offer short basic courses and a full Diploma in Phlebotomy at Phlebotomy Training UK. All of these courses will really help you to secure that trainee position and stand you in good stead for your future career. You will receive theory and practical training through our diploma and advanced courses.

The Diploma in Phlebotomy is anywhere from 9 to 18 months depending on your schedule. The beauty of all the training courses is that they are flexible and you can fit them in around other work or studies, family life and other commitments.

Certification

Gaining the correct licensing and certification will give you better opportunities when it comes to employment. This is a professional job, so you will need the credentials and your license to practice un-supervised.

Is being a phlebotomist stressful?

That is a difficult question to answer. On the one hand, being a phlebotomist can be stressful because you are often responsible for drawing blood from patients. This can be a difficult and delicate procedure, and if something goes wrong it can be very stressful. However, on the other hand, many people find the work to be very rewarding and satisfying. So it really depends on the individual’s perspective.

In Conclusion

You have many paths to becoming a phlebotomist, but in summary, it should take somewhere between one to two years in total to train. There are a lot of mitigating factors here as you do have the flexibility to train at your own pace.

However, it is not going to take you as long as most other medical professionals to train and it is much more hands-on from the beginning.

If you are interested in learning more about training to become a phlebotomist, contact one of our friendly team today.

How do I become a phlebotomy instructor in Maryland?

Who can teach phlebotomy in Florida?

How do I become a phlebotomy instructor in NJ?

How do I become a phlebotomy trainer UK?