Phlebotomy Certification
There are many different organizations which offer phlebotomy certification programs and courses. It’s important that the certification organization that you choose is one that is nationally recognized, otherwise your certification may not be accepted by all employers.
When determining on a respectable phlebotomy certification course, try to find one that is recognized by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), uses materials and examinations that reverberate CLSI standards, and qualifies graduates for an examination through an outside certification agency.
As of 2010, ten different phlebotomy certification organizations exist. The most well know phlebotomy certification organizations include: ACA (American Certificaion Agency), ACT, and NPA (the Nathional Phlebotomy Association). Although each organization has similar requirements, you will find that they all vary to a slight degree.
ACA offers two different phlebotomy certifications; phlebotomist instructors, and phlebotomist technicians. You must meet certain criteria to be eligible to take the phlebotomy certification exam. For this particular organization, you must have completed 100 hours of clinic work, performed 100 venipunctures, and 10 dermal punctures. There are two distinct components of the certification examination-the written component, and the practical portion. Phlebotomy instructor applicants must be phlebotomy certified or a registered RN or LPN. Written tests are not needed; but applicants must provide 3 years of blood drawing experience in addition to 1 year of teaching experience.
The American Medical Technologists (AMT) offers phlebotomist certification. Applicants must have attended a phlebotomy training course commissioned by the US Department of Education, a program accredited by the Regional Accrediting Commission, a phlebotomy program consisting of 120 hours of instruction and 120 hours of clinical work, or have completed at least 1,040 hours of acceptable work experience within a three year period. Also, one must have accomplished fifty successful venipunctures along with twenty-five skin punctures. AMT offers a number of resources to those that apply to their program, including a downloadable candidate hhandbook, test outline, reference materials, and practice test.
You can also obtain your phlebotomy certificaion and donor certification through The National Center for Competency Testing. You most posess a high school diploma in order to write either examination. There are 2 additional requrements that you must meet before taking the examination. You must have at least 1 full year of phlebotomy experience, or have attended and graduated an approved phlebotomy training program. The NCCT also requires a phlebotomy performance form. In California and Louisiana, additional forms must be submitted. Obtaining a donor phlebotomist certification, one must have 6 months of experience including 80 successful blood collections. Applications can be submitted electronically or in hardcopy, both forms are available on the NCCT website.
