How to Become a Phlebotomist in Arkansas

In every person’s life, one of the crucial moments is the one when they need to choose their future career.

Our suggestion is that, prior to deciding to enroll in a phlebotomy program, prospective students should know that the main responsibility of phlebotomy technicians.

These professionals are educated to properly draw blood for diagnostic testing purposes or blood donation.

Of course, the job description for a Phlebotomist may differ based on the type of workplace where you get hired.

However, the most frequent tasks stay the same: they perform venipunctures, label samples, organize and send off samples to the lab for testing.

Once you become a phlebotomist, various places will offer you a job, including hospitals, clinical labs, blood banks, small clinics, and even for insurance companies.

Phlebotomy Certification Requirements for Arkansas

Even though phlebotomy certification is not required in the state of Arkansas, in some US states, certification is a requirement and in case you move to any of those states, you will not be allowed to practice.

So, we consider it a wise idea to enroll in an accredited college or vocational school course that offers phlebotomy certification.

Not only will you able to find a job in all the states, but also, as a certified phlebotomist you will find better jobs and higher hourly pay.

In order to get yourself certified, your first step is going through a phlebotomy training course that has been approved by the health department or by the NAACLS.

Upon graduation, you are supposed to take and pass an examination through one of the certification associations such as the American Society of Clinical Pathology, ASCP, or the National Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel.

There are many advantages to becoming certified, but most important is that you become a much more valuable candidate and you will be given preference when applying for a position.

Once you talk with an employed phlebotomist, you will find out how essential it is to have training classes completed and the license achieved before you even consider applying for a position.

Required Skills

Every profession requires that a professional is acquainted with rules and regulations.

The same is with phlebotomists, who must be familiar with the safe practice of drawing blood and performing tests on patient samples.

Furthermore, knowing how to manage laboratory equipment is another important skill.

Personal characteristics are also significant when this job is in question and acting professionally while dealing with patients, talking to them in a friendly manner, and dealing with a lot of different people would make a great phlebotomist.

National Certifying Organizations For Phlebotomists

• American Medical Technologists. If you decided to get this certification, there are requirements to meet, such as adequate work experience, and an oral or written exam. It also requires renewal every three years through CEU and re-examination.
• American Society for Clinical Pathology, Training, or work experience, in combination with an oral or written exam, is obligatory for this license. Furthermore, a renewal every ten years through CEU is necessary as well.
• American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians, So as to get it, an applicant must pass a practical and written exam. Also, an annual CEUs is obligatory to maintain certification.
• National Phlebotomy Association. In order to get this certificate, an oral or written exam is required.

Best Schools Offering Phlebotomy Training in Arkansas

We need to tell you that you must keep in mind that not all schools are of equal quality, and choosing the right school should be your first step towards a phlebotomy career as it could make a huge difference in the quality of your education.

If you want to get your education from the comfort of your home, it is possible to do the theory-part online at some schools.

Still, Phlebotomy Technicians need to pass on-the-job practice puncturing the skin, veins, and arteries to learn how to do the job, so enrolling in a hybrid online-classroom training program would be ideal for these aspiring Phlebotomists.

Arkansas College Of Health Careers

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Technician

School Website: www.achc.us

Arkansas College Of Health Careers offers a 5-week phlebotomy technician program, during which students will be taught venipuncture, specimen collection, and more subjects related to phlebotomy.

Arkansas Northeastern College

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Program

School Website: www.anc.edu

Some of the subjects that this program covers are medical terminology, blood collection methods, infection prevention, proper patient identification, specimen handling, and quality assurance.

The course includes a 120-hour clinical externship.

Arkansas State University-Mountain

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Program

School Website: www.asumh.edu

Arkansas State University-Mountain offers a phlebotomy program of 7 credit hours.

Arkansas State University – Newport

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Program

School Website: www.asun.edu

Arkansas State University Newport was founded in 1976, and it offers programs to over 2,000 students each year.

Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Program

School Website: www.atu.edu

Once enrolled in this phlebotomy program, students will need to attend classes such as medical terminology, human anatomical structure, phlebotomy, first aid, and CPR for healthcare providers among many others.

Black River Technical College

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Certificate of Proficiency

School Website: www.blackrivertech.org

Black River Technical College is a community college that offers a 13-credit-hour phlebotomy training.

North Arkansas College

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Technician Certificate of Proficiency

School Website: www.northark.edu

At North Arkansas College, prospective students get a chance to enroll in a 5-course phlebotomy technician program that covers subjects such as medical terminology, introduction to IT, Anatomy and Physiology, phlebotomy, and Phlebotomy Practicum to mention a few.

Petra Allied Health

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Technician

School Website: www.petraalliedhealth.com

The phlebotomy training course offered at Petra Allied Health is a 67-hour course that consists of 47 hours of classroom lab time and 20 hours of clinical training.

Phillips Community College

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Program

School Website: www.pccua.edu

Phillips Community College offers a phlebotomy training program in its three locations in Arkansas.

Phillips Community College’s Phlebotomy Program is approved by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

Southeast Arkansas College

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Technology

School Website: www.seark.edu

Southeast Arkansas College’s phlebotomy program offers students the chance to get ready to take exams by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) or the National Health Career Association (NHA).

South Arkansas Community College

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Program

School Website: www.southark.edu

What makes the phlebotomy training program at South Arkansas Community College stand out and be unique is that besides the study of phlebotomy, professionalism, and specimen collection and handling, you will also learn additional skills such as EKG and CPR.

University of Arkansas

Programs Offered: Phlebotomy Technician

School Website: www.training.uark.edu

If you enroll in a phlebotomy training at the University of Arkansas, subjects that you will need to study are medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, specimen collection, blood collection, quality assurance, infection control, venipuncture procedures, and more.

Job Prospects And Salary Expectations for Phlebotomists in Arkansas

A good phlebotomist in Arkansas would be able to earn an average of $32,427 every year.

The salary range typically falls between $29,208 and $36,221.

How much you will earn cannot be stated for sure, as it depends on important factors, such as education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession

Annual Salary Range:

Regional Salary in Arkansas