# Phlebotomy training in OC, CA



## ngbacon (Sep 30, 2009)

Does anyone know where to get phlebotomy training/certs in Orange County?


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## Level1pedstech (Oct 3, 2009)

Are you looking for Phlebotomy training for an ER tech position or do you need it for some other reason, I know CA has made some changes in regards to techs that do blood draws and certification is now required. A little more background and what your plans are might help you get more replies.

 On a separate note you live in one of the most beautiful areas in the country. I lived in San Clemente when I was little and went back for summer vacations for years. Do they still have a good junior lifeguard program? I went thru the program in the late seventies and it was a real workout but we all had a great time.


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## EMSLaw (Oct 3, 2009)

I'd suggest checking the local community colleges, especially their continuing/professional ed sections.  Around here, it's about a one-semester full-time program to become a certified phlebotemist, though I'm on the other side of the country, so...


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## ngbacon (Oct 3, 2009)

I have my NREMT-B license and everything I need to work ambulances in Orange County, San Diego county, and soon LA county also.  I have no medical experience or backround.  I just got hired at an ambulance company that does a lot of work in surf city and north OC.  I would love to get a job as an ER Tech but I realize that my prospects of that are slim right now because of my lack of experience  and licenses other than EMT and BLS.  I've been looking into Phlebotomy licensure as a way to get into a hospital.  I figure if I can get in on that I can get some experience handling patients and the hospital atrmosphere.  From there I assume I could work my way into some sort of ER Tech job and really get my hands dirty.  I hear there is much more experience and learning to be had in an ER Tech type job as opposed to EMT-B.

Also, shortly after I made this post I discovered how to correctly use the search function!  :blush:


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## Level1pedstech (Oct 4, 2009)

There are several ways to go about getting into the ER as a tech, of course having your basic and some 911 field experience is the best and most facilities will have this as the minimum requirements. For me I had my basic and five years of FF/EMT experience with two departments one combination paid/volunteer and one all volunteer. Shortly after being hired I went through a 56 hour IV tech course which would prove to be a great help when it came to doing draws in the ER. I found after getting hired that although some things are the same on both sides of the ER doors there are some major differences and being able to understand the needs of the facility you are applying for will play a big part.

  You are spot on about the learning opportunities available in the ED setting, you will get to preform or assist on procedures that most EMT-B's let alone medics will ever do in the field. You will have more hands on experience in one shift than you will have in the field in a month and you will be working along side people who are always willing to teach if your willing to put in the effort to learn. Don't get me wrong the EMT's in the field get to do some cool stuff but it wont come anywhere close to working in the ER. you will also build a great network of contacts and have access to a wealth of information to help you with whatever you may have planned for your future in medicine.

  I would hold off on paying for or spending a great deal of time sitting through a phlebotomy course until your sure it will be required,you can always take the class at a later time. Not all techs at all hospitals do blood draws. You may be able to get the class through your hospital or at least get some help with the cost,every hospital is different when it comes to putting up money for employee education so its worth checking into. It used to be you took an in house phlebotomy course and then started practicing on your patients. Now in some states you need to have a certificate or some proof of training recognized by the state you plan to work in. To be honest I have no idea what you would possibly learn in a course that runs more than what we used to get with the hospital based course. I'm sure someone will enlighten me. Like lots of things it has to be the new way or its not sufficient,even though its worked well in the past, according to the pinheads who make these policies. There is just not that much involved with basic ER phlebotomy and its a skill that you perfect over time with practice. I just dont see the benifit of having some long drawn out phlebotomy course as a requirement to tech. I'm sure there will be some that disagree but unless your a tech that regularly preforms phlebotomy in an ER setting you don't have much experience to draw from(pardon the pun). Now if its a requirement then your stuck but I would investgate all angles before you make a commitment to a phlebotomy course.

  Bottom line is you need to research your local ER's and find what they are looking for beyond what they state in the job announcement. I would start with the ER you did your clinicals in and work from there. Keep us posted and as always feel free to ask any questions. Good luck!


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## DV_EMT (Oct 4, 2009)

ngbacon said:


> Also, shortly after I made this post I discovered how to correctly use the search function!  :blush:




Thank god... a N00b with a brain lol... just playing with ya 

I'd say wait it out and go to medic school. Unless you have the cert before you became an EMT... theres no real use for it. Just ask Vent or me.


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## ngbacon (Oct 4, 2009)

Level1pedstech said:


> Bottom line is you need to research your local ER's and find what they are looking for beyond what they state in the job announcement. I would start with the ER you did your clinicals in and work from there. Keep us posted and as always feel free to ask any questions. Good luck!



Thanks for the advice it was very informative and helpful.  

I think you are correct about looking at all the angles before committing to a phlebotomy course.  I was considering this for several reasons, mainly just to get into the hospital.  I also noted that there seem to be an abundance of phlebotomy tech jobs in my area and they all pay significantly more than EMT jobs.  It's not all about the money for me but I do have obligations that require me to make a certain amount of cash per month.  However, trying to cough up an extra $1500 for a class that I don't really need right now does seem to be somewhat counterintuitive.  Funny my EMT-B class only cost $130....  

Again thank you for the advice and I think I am going to start where you suggested.  Give a call to a couple of the local ED's to see if I can observe and learn.


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## VentMedic (Oct 4, 2009)

ngbacon said:


> Thanks for the advice it was very informative and helpful.
> 
> I think you are correct about looking at all the angles before committing to a phlebotomy course. I was considering this for several reasons, mainly just to get into the hospital. I also noted that there seem to be an abundance of phlebotomy tech jobs in my area and they all pay significantly more than EMT jobs. It's not all about the money for me but I do have obligations that require me to make a certain amount of cash per month. However, trying to cough up an extra $1500 for a class that I don't really need right now does seem to be somewhat counterintuitive. Funny my EMT-B class only cost $130....
> 
> Again thank you for the advice and I think I am going to start where you suggested. Give a call to a couple of the local ED's to see if I can observe and learn.


 
You are not going to pay $1500 dollars for a phlebotomy course in CA unless you go to some private tech mill that rips you off. Price per semester credit in CA is still less than $30/credit hour. You could even take an A&P class along with it and be well on your way toward Paramedic school. 

Each open ED Tech position gets at least 100 applicants easily. If you don't have the basic qualifications they are looking for you might as well not apply. Even a Paramedic that applies for an ED Tech position needs to be phlebotomy certified in most hospitals throughout California. While it may not be difficult to poke a hole in somebody's skin, one should know some of the state and Federal rules and regulations as well as the correct way to handle the many different specimens obtained in a hospital setting. Many patients have had to be stuck again due to botched sampling and because someone thought they knew what they were doing and the other staff actually was stupid enough to believe them. 

Read the Calfornia regulations and become informed. 
https://secure.cps.ca.gov/cltreg/index.asp

List of approved phlebotomy courses in California.
http://www.ohlone.edu/instr/alliedhealth/docs/approvedcalifphlebtrngschools.pdf


And yes, you will probably learn much more in an ED if you are willing than as an EMT-B on an ambulance.


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## VentMedic (Oct 4, 2009)

One more thing to add.  With a Phlebotomy cert you can pick up hours with a flexible schedule and good pay as a Phlebotomy tech in the hospital, clinic or research lab at a university if you decide to get serious about your education someday.


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