Want to Become a Phlebotomy Technician? The Skills You Need 

A Phlebotomy Technician is a highly skilled medical professional and a critical part of healthcare teams in settings like hospitals, clinics, laboratories, blood banks, and outpatient centers. Phlebotomy Technicians are responsible for safely collecting blood from patients, preparing samples for testing, and maintaining medical equipment.  

Becoming a Phlebotomy Technician can be a rewarding start to a lifelong career in healthcare. Today, we’re going to talk about the hard and soft skills required to be a Phlebotomy Technician to help you decide if this is a career you want to pursue. 

Phlebotomy Technician: Hard and Soft Skills

Phlebotomy Technicians do more than collect blood samples. They follow strict safety protocols and infection control measures while reassuring patients who may be anxious or apprehensive about the blood draw process. To excel in the role, you must have a combination of hard technical skills and soft interpersonal skills. 

What Hard Skills Do You Need as a Phlebotomy Technician? 

Some of the hard skills required to be a Phlebotomy Technician include: 

• Venipuncture and capillary puncture techniques 
• Specimen processing, storage, and transport 
• Infection control 
• Quality assurance 
• Equipment operation and maintenance
• Medical terminology
• Anatomy and physiology 

What Soft Skills Do You Need as a Phlebotomy Technician?

Some of the soft skills required to be a Phlebotomy Technician include:

• Empathy and compassion
• Communication
• Attention to detail
• Critical thinking and problem-solving 
• Time and stress management  
• Professional and ethical conduct 

Find a Phlebotomy Technician Program to Hone Your Skills 

To learn and perfect the hard and soft skills required to be a Phlebotomy Technician, you can sign up for a Phlebotomy Technician Certificate Program, like the one offered by Bryan University. 

When finding the right program for you, consider some questions like: 

• How many hours is the program? 
• Is it approved by the state? Is it accredited? 
• Where are the clinical hours completed? 
• Does it prepare you for the certification exam? 
• Does it include the certification exam? If included, what institution do students take the exam with? 

Becoming a Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)

Most states don’t require Phlebotomy Technicians to have their certification. California, Washington, Louisiana, and Nevada are the only states where it’s required. However, earning your certification is recommended. 

Many different institutions can help you earn your phlebotomy certification. When choosing the right program for you, think about which exam is included and consider things like testing locations, cost, and how often you have to renew the certification. 

Bryan University’s Phlebotomy Technician Certificate Program prepares you to take the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) certification exam and even includes the cost of your first attempt in tuition!

Are You Ready to Start Your Career as a Phlebotomy Technician? Enroll at Bryan University Today! 

Bryan University’s Phlebotomy Technician Certificate Program is accelerated and designed to train you beyond the basics of obtaining blood specimens. The program provides on-the-job situations and is driven by employer input. 

BU’s program is 100 hours of combined didactic and laboratory instruction completed over four weeks and includes a CPR certification. After completing the program, students are eligible to take the National Healthcareer Association’s (NHA) national certification exam, with the cost of the first attempt included in tuition. Bryan U students must also successfully complete 30 venipunctures and 10 skin punctures to graduate. 

Are you ready to take the next step? Sign up for Bryan University’s Phlebotomy Technician Certificate Program today!