Phlebotomy Certification Exam

As far as Phlebotomy is concerned, you do not always have to be certified to become a phlebotomist. So under supervision, you can draw blood regardless of your experience or education. In some states, however, they require certification in order for you to do the job.

Certification, like that of the other jobs you want to apply for, gives you an advantage to get the job you want. It tells your employer that you are ready to perform this particular job and have met all the requirements of said field.

Here are examples of certifying bodies which will help you to become a certified phlebotomist:

• American Society for Clinical Pathology
• Association of Phlebotomy Technicians
• National Phlebotomy Association

To qualify for each of the certifying bodies, here are some details:

For American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) here are the requirements:

• High School graduation or equivalent
• Completion of 40 classroom hours
• 120 hands-on training hours
• 100 successful, unaided blood collections

For The Association of Phlebotomy Technicians (APT) here are the requirements:

• Completion of an accredited phlebotomy training program
• 100 successful documented venipunctures
• 5 successful skin punctures
• A current member to APT

For the National Phlebotomy Association (NPA) without prior experience as a phlebotomist, you need to attend at least a phlebotomy training program to qualify for the certification through NPA.

These programs include:

• Venipuncture techniques
• A hands-on clinical practical internship
• 160 classroom hours in addition to the clinical practical internship