Writing The Phlebotomy Certification Exam – Are You Ready?

If you are considering taking the phlebotomy certification exam but are not sure whether you are fully prepared for it, there are plenty of online resources that can provide you with useful information. the internet can provide you useful information in the field of phlebotomy. This information will help you determine whether you are ready to pas the exam, or need further training.

Is Phlebotomy The Right Career Choice?

Before enlisting in a phlebotomy certification course, it’s important that you determine that phlebotomy is the right career choice for you. Simply put, can you see yourself being a phlebotomist years down the road?

To help you make this decision, contact your local Bureau of Labor Statistics. This organization can provide you with the following helpful information that will help you decide if phlebotomy is right for you:

- Available Phlebotomy courses
- Admission requirements
- Phlebotomy job requirements
- Average salary

Determining this information before you write your phlebotomy certification will make it much easier for you to decide whether you have the skills that will ensure you thrive at this profession.

Those who write the phlebotomy certification exam generally fall within one of two categories; Those who have attended phlebotomy school and now wish to obtain their certification, and those who already have practical experience in the field and are interested in furthering their career.

How Do I Study For The Phlebotomy Certification Exam?

Regardless of whether you have taken phlebotomy training or not, it’s important that you go over some of the phlebotomy basics and perform some practice tests before writing the exam. The practice tests are helpful because they are similar to the exam. There are also a number of helpful phlebotomy books available such as “Phlebotomy Essentials”. These books cover everything that you will need to know to pass the examination.

Thorough knowledge of venipucture techniques is very important (collecting blood from veins). You will be expected to know vein locations, specific puncture locations, and how to draw blood in a manor that is comfortable and safe for your patient. Human anatomy is also very important to know, particularly the anatomy of the circulatory system. There will be a full section in the phlebotomy certification exam on this.

Those who have attended phlebotomy courses for 8-24 months will generally be well prepared for the examination, as the courses will thoroughly cover all aspects of the certification exam. If on the other hand you have been working as a phlebotomist without a certification and are ready to take the “next step” and are taking one of the ten different exams that are currently used to certify in phlebotomy, you need to ensure that you are fully prepared by studying the proper materials. The different types of phlebotomy exams currently include the AMT, NHA, NPA, NCCT, NAHP, IAPA, ASPT, NCA, ASCP and ACA.