Getting a Phlebotomy Certification is essential to obtaining a good Phlebotomist position. The certification improves not just your professionalism and knowledge base, it also dramatically increases your marketability in the eyes of an employer. To get this certification, you must complete a Phlebotomy Certification Exam. While there many organizations that claim to certify phlebotomists, not all are reputable. Many of these organizations do not teach according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), or are not in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. Before investing your time and money on a certification exam, make sure that you will be taking the exam from one of the 4 Nationally recognized organizations listed below.
Nationally Recognized Phlebotomy Certification Agencies:
- American Certification Agency
- American Medical Technologists
- National Center for Competency Testing
- American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification
The Exam is composed of 2 parts: a written exam and a clinical demonstration exam. The Clinical Demonstration Exam will last for about 1 hour while the Written Portion of the Exam usually lasts 2 hours.
If you are taking Phlebotomy training courses, your coursework reference materials should include topics covered by the exam as well as study guides to help you prepare for this test. If you are currently working as a Phlebotomist without certification, and you wish to take the certification exam without enrolling in training courses, then you should purchase the necessary exam study guides at the very minimum. You should also take several free online practice tests in order to sharpen your test-taking skills.
To take the real exam you must first register for the test. There is usually a small registration fee of between 50-100 dollars required. Additionally you will usually need to provide a valid form of identification such as your social security card and/or a driver’s license. When taking both the written and clinical tests, it is very important to remain calm and answer the questions at an even pace. Rushing to answer questions will inevitably result in mistakes. If you fail the test, you will have opportunities to retake it. Of course, you would have the pay a registration fee for each attempt at the test. So you should do your absolute best to pass the exam on the first try.
The following sets of skills and competencies will usually be covered in the Phlebotomy Certification Exam:
General Medical Knowledge:
- Medical terminology and legal abbreviations
- Laboratory personnel roles
- Job stress management techniques
- Medical laws and ethics
- Medical malpractice laws
- Basic functions of body systems
- Knowledge of the veins and arteries in the hands, arms, and feet
- Knowledge of capillary, venous, and arterial blood
- Constituents of the blood
- Differences between plasma, serum, and whole blood
- Knowledge of Sanitation and Sterilization maintenance techniques
- Knowledge of OSHA Standards
- Knowledge of MSDS Standards
- Knowledge of Microbe Transmission and prevention techniques
- Biohazardous Materials labeling and disposal techniques
- Infection control and isolation techniques
Phlebotomy Knowledge:
- Knowledge of patient blood drawing instructions
- Competency in related medical computer systems
- Knowledge of Phlebotomy complications
- Transportation of blood sample specimens
- Knowledge of Errors that can happen when collecting, transporting, and processing blood samples
- Knowledge of additives used in blood drawing
- Knowledge of Color Codes in Blood Collection tubes
- Identify correct equipment for a venipuncture, an arterial puncture, and other forms of blood drawing
Venipuncture Knowledge:
- Techniques to identify and prepare the intended venipuncture site
- Identify sites for arterial venipuncture
- Needle insertion and removal techniques
- Knowledge of how tourniquets and fist making affect blood collection
- Infant/Young Patient blood collection techniques
- Adult Patient blood collection techniques
- Understand how squeezing and heat affect finger sticks
