Despite a lagging economy that is showing slow signs of growth, the healthcare industry is one that is still growing. Certified clinical medical technicians are one group of professionals whose demand is expected to keep growing rapidly for the next ten years. If you are looking for a new career, or are already working in the healthcare industry and want to find a way to build upon your current skill set, you might wish to think about phlebotomy. Online phlebotomy jobs are available for many different professionals, and the proper qualifications to become a phlebotomist can be obtained online in as little as one year.

To begin the process of figuring out if online phlebotomy jobs could be a good fit for your skills and interests, it's helpful to first examine what a phlebotomist does. This healthcare professional works directly with patients, extracting blood from the body according to instructions from a registered nurse or doctor. The phlebotomist is then responsible for taking these blood samples and running a series of tests on them, which could include the use of computerized technology and analytical skills. Finally, they must review these test results with the practicing nurse or doctor. This can be an ideal profession for those who enjoy patient care, wish to work in the healthcare field, and want a regular schedule rather than one based on irregular or on-call shifts.

To qualify for these online phlebotomy jobs, professionals must have first gone through basic phlebotomy training, culminating in a degree or certificate. Some of the agencies that award certification include the National Phlebotomy Association, American Society for Clinical Pathology, and Association of Phlebotomy Technicians. Compared with other professions in the medical field, it's possible to become certified as a phlebotomist in a far shorter period of time, because the training programs mainly focus on a group of core skills necessary to succeed. This includes the proper methods of extracting blood, and information about using analytical equipment to run tests.

There is a wide range of different online colleges, including technical colleges as well as public and private universities, which award degrees and certificates in phlebotomy. Students may or may not wish to take the national exam in phlebotomy at the end of these studies. Although it is not legally required in 48 states to pass this exam in order to practice phlebotomy, many of the best online phlebotomy jobs do require that candidates have the proper certification and exam results.

There are many different settings that online phlebotomy jobs are available in. To begin with, there is a high demand for qualified phlebotomists in blood testing laboratories, blood banks, blood clinics, and crime laboratories, for those who are not interested in working in a specifically medical setting. However, hospitals, nursing homes, and doctor's offices all have a high demand for qualified phlebotomists as well. With the proper training and certification, a licensed professional may find that he or she has a wide range of options in this field. This demand is only expected to grow in the years to come, making training a sound investment.