Phlebotomist??????
Asked by spmohio
I am thinking about going to school to become an RN but want to get into healthcare in some sort to make sure its for me. The counselor said to try being a phlebotomist. Is it easy to get a job, what do they make, and how is this job?

Best Answer:
Being a phlebotomist isn't going to be a good comparison for nursing. All you do is poke people and draw blood. If you want a better view, become a CNA. It's a messy job that many people don't like doing- lots of feeding, toileting, bathing, etc. But it's a more realistic, hands on job, and RNs do perform all of those tasks, especially in facilities that don't use CNAs. But an RN's responsibilities go so much father than that - and no other job is going to give you a realistic view of what it's like. But if it's patient care experience you want to find out about, CNA is the way to go.

I agree that it would be better to be CNA first. If for some reason you can't get into a CNA class or something then a phlebotomist would be the next best thing. Or an EMT. Usually phlebotomist and EMTs make more too.
Answered by Laura H

Many of these Phlebotomy programs take a year to complete and by then, you could be 1/2 way to becoming an RN. A phlebotomist, in my opinion, doesn't even remotely begin to touch on the things an RN does. Doing things like being a CNA first, is a waste of time. Everything that a CNA does, an RN is taught to do is school...and will do as a student...and you don't get a tuition break just b/c you have a CNA.
Answered by Mary B

I think most of the RN programs require CNA training, so it would be quite easy to work as a CNA while doing your RN schooling. I'm a former laboratory manager and have employed several phlebotomists who were in nursing school, and I've also known several nurses and doctors who worked as phlebotomists while in school. Working as a CNA would be easier for you, but there are some very good advantages to having some experience working in a laboratory. For one thing, you'll have a better understanding of what the different lab tests are for, how long it takes to run the testing and get the results, how to properly collect specimens, and, most of all, why it is so important to check a patient's ID each and every time. Working as a phlebotomist is physically hard and requires a keen mind and good organization skills. It's also a very interesting job because you get to spend time in the laboratory. I've spent my career working as a medical technologist and laboratory manager and I think that laboratory science has got to be one of the most interesting jobs around.
Answered by majormomma