Requirements

• There are no city- or state-mandated testing requirements or certification in New York for a phlebotomist, but without adequate training or experience, you simply cannot get hired. Hiring requirements vary by employer, and a phlebotomist has the opportunity to work in different settings such as laboratories that draw blood, blood banks, doctor's offices, hospitals, clinics or some other medical facility.
  
  

Accreditation

• When you decide to train and educate yourself to become a phlebotomist, select an accredited school versus one that is not. Some of the agencies to look for when choosing an accredited school look for Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools or Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
  
  

Training

• A phlebotomist-in-training can expect training in procedures on drawing blood from donors or patients, assembling the needed equipment, sanitary procedures, verifying patient identity, the correct process for labeling and storing blood, taking vital signs and testing blood samples.
  
  

Skills

• Successful phlebotomists have excellent people skills and the ability to put the patient at ease. They communicate well, work well independently or in a group and are efficient and thorough. Drawing blood does not come without risks, and the prepared phlebotomist must adhere to all safety procedures to minimize that risk for everyone.
  
  

Outlook

• As new tests evolve and the population grows, health care technicians such as phlebotomists will experience a growth in new jobs as well. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that these positions are expected to grow as much as 14 percent through 2018, faster than the average for most jobs.