A phlebotomist is a medical technician who performs a procedure of drawing blood from patients for diagnostic and donation purposes.
In most cases, phlebotomists work in hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, blood banks, and public health departments.
If you want to get a job in this sphere, first of all, you need to complete a training program that contains both theory and practice.
In fact, there is no obligation to get a certification in Tennessee.
Nevertheless, in most cases, employers give preference to those individuals who are well-trained and have a certification.
As the data from monster.com shows, there is a whole bunch of job offers for phlebotomists in Tennessee.
Most of these offers are oriented on candidates who have some work experience and appropriate training.
Article Table of Contents
Top Cities For Phlebotomy Career in Tennessee
- Nashville
- Memphis
- Columbia
- Clarksville
- Dandridge
- Manchester
- Knoxville
Phlebotomy Training Requirements in Tennessee
To get your certification, you need to enroll in a training program that is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
In Tennessee, there are some options available at hospitals, colleges, and vocational schools.
Education-Portal.com says that all training options in the state can provide you with at least 42 hours of classes as well as 120 hours of practical training.
Of course, a curriculum varies depending on the facility but the most important subjects such as anatomy, medical terminology, safety procedures, micro-capillary techniques, geriatric care, venipuncture and blood collection techniques are presented in each program.
After completing the program, you need to take your certification test.
To do it, you should address some specialized agencies such as The American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians, The National HealthCareer Association and The American Medical Technologists.
Phlebotomy Essential Skills
To become a good phlebotomist, it’s not enough just complete a training program, you also need a certain set of skills.
You should be really good at communicating and interacting with people.
Also, you must be ready to work in a team and be an effective team member.
As a phlebotomist, you need to know how to deal with patients who are nervous or distresses.
At the same time, you must be able to stay calm in any situation as a phlebotomist’s job can be pretty stressful and require lots of concentration and attention.
Some basic computing skills are also needed so you can manage patients’ data.
Phlebotomist’s Salary in Tennessee
Working as a phlebotomist in Tennessee, you can earn a median salary of about $14-$17 per hour.
It is about $32 000 per year.
Usually, private clinics tend to offer higher salaries than state or community hospitals.
Considering the constant development of this sphere, new job offers for qualified phlebotomists are added constantly.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a significant grows of phlebotomy career outlook in the nearest future.
City | Salary |
---|---|
Memphis, TN | $32 228 |
Nashville-Davidson, TN | $31 629 |
Knoxville, TN | $31 213 |
Chattanooga, TN | $30 670 |
Clarksville, TN | $30 680 |
Murfreesboro, TN | $31 390 |
Jackson, TN | $32 049 |
Johnson City, TN | $29 705 |
Kingsport, TN | $29 817 |
Franklin, TN | $31 518 |
Phlebotomy Training in Tennessee
Southwest Tennessee Community College
PO Box 780
Memphis, TN 38101-0780
If you look for a phlebotomy training program, at Southwest Tennessee Community College you can apply for the phlebotomy technology course.
During your training, you’ll learn various techniques used to draw blood as well as proper ways to interact with patients and other important aspects of your future career.
The program lasts for a year and is divided into two semesters.
Also, it is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
If you want to apply for it, your GPA should be at least 2.0 and also you need to meet some specific requirements.
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers the Phlebotomy Technician course that contains 90 hours of training.
To apply for it, you need to provide your high-school diploma or GED.
The list of disciplines includes such classes as medical terminology, specimen documentation, anatomy and physiology, and different puncture methods.
During your clinical training, you’ll be able to improve your skills in drawing of live blood samples, working with a team, lab exercises, and so on.
It will help you to get an entry-level phlebotomy job easily.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Phlebotomist