Phlebotomy Certification in Ohio:
Known as the Buckeye State, Ohio offers a great cost of living with plenty of outdoor
adventures waiting to be discovered. There are many great large metropolitan areas in
the state, each with something to offer to residents and tourists alike.
More than 11,500,000 people call the State of Ohio home. The state’s economy is
fueled by a number of industries, including manufacturing. There are also a number of multi-national
corporations operate their headquarters out of Ohio.
The average salary for a certified phlebotomist in Ohio is $29,000. With a respectable
cost of living in the state, this can be considered to be a really great salary. Housing
costs and the overall cost of living will of course vary greatly between areas.
Where Phlebotomists Can Find Themselves Working:
As a certified phlebotomist, you will find that you have many available options for
landing a position in the medical field. One of the great points of this specialty is that
you’ll be able to find yourself working a range of professional settings. You will always
find that your skills are in high demand.
Here are just some of the places that you could find yourself finding work in, as a
certified phlebotomist.
Hospitals – of all sizes. Medical facilities that serve a range of needs are always
looking for qualified phlebotomists who can work in a range of environments.
From working a late shift in the emergency room, to running between floors doing
blood draws as requested by the attending physicians, there is no lack of need
for qualified phlebotomists in hospitals
Community health centers very often work to reach out to the parts of the
community who are perhaps not able to afford private medical treatment. You
may find yourself working with patients of all ages, and working with patients
facing a number of health concerns
Private practice facilities often have a phlebotomist on staff so that blood work
can be started immediately on patients. You could work in general medicine,
cardiology, pediatrics, oncology, and more
Nursing homes will need staff who are incredibly compassionate and patient. You
could find yourself working with the very frail, so your training will serve you will
here.
Blood donation centers find you working with dozens of patients throughout the
day, so you’ll never be bored
With your phlebotomy certification in hand you will find that it’s a snap to to secure a
position at any medical facility in the state.
An added advantage is that you will be able to use your nationally recognized certification
to work in most states in the country. Your certification will need to be renewed
every two years if you plan on working as a phlebotomist, but if you pursue other
medical certifications you may not need to keep up with it.
What Does It Take To Become a Certified Phlebotomist?
You know that you need to pass the certification exam in order to become a certified
phlebotomist, but just what do you need to do in order to get to that point?
To get certified, a phlebotomist must not only have gone through the right type of
training and have developed the right expertise in obtaining blood and other specimens,
but the phlebotomist should also be comfortable interacting with patients; some of
whom might be a bit of a challenge.
Attending class at an accredited phlebotomy training school will prepare you to sit the
phlebotomy certification exam.
School programs can vary greatly in length, but in general they can last anywhere from
6 weeks to a full year; depending on the program. While the longer courses tend to be
more involved and also cost more, they can also help to improve your credentials and
help you to demand the higher starting salary.
Some of the topics that will be covered during the training course could include the
following:
- Basic medical terminology
- Patient care and techniques for helping to calm nervous patients down
- Procedures for drawing blood from fingers, veins, and other areas like on the
heels of infants
- Safety procedures, for both patients and yourself.
- Handling of specimens, including labeling and delivery
- Patient privacy and potential legal concerns
The majority of courses will offer classroom lectures, lab time, and the ability to work
with live patients and perform needle sticks in a clinical setting; under supervision of
course.
Think You’re Ready to Sit the Exam?
If you have gone through your training course and are considering taking the exam, but
have some doubts about whether or not you are truly fully prepared for it, there are a
number of great online resources that can give you a bit of information to refresh your
mind prior to the exam.
There are also many practice exams that can help you to gauge your readiness for the
exam. Be sure that you ready before you take the exam, so that you can fly through it
with ease.
Keep in mind that once you do have your certification in hand, you’ll be able work at any
medical facility within the State of Ohio.
Your certification will be valid for two years, and will need to renewed before that period
is up if you plan on continuing working as a phlebotomist.
Phlebotomy Certification Courses in Ohio:

Columbus State Community College:
Columbus State Community College offers a great phlebotomy training course, as well
as the ability to put your earned credits toward another training course should you wish
to further your career. There are a number of prerequisites that students should be
aware of prior to enrolment.
You can view the program here:
http://www.cscc.edu/academics/departments/phlebotomy/
Cuyahoga Community College
Cuyahoga Community College is staffed with medical professionals who are passionate
about the work that they do. Students will get the opportunity to work on patients in a
live clinical setting, and also be encouraged to hone their skills on one another.
Here is the school’s website:
http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/health-careers/laboratory-phlebotomy/
Ohio Medical Career Center:
Ohio Medical Career Center is a great choice for those who are looking to kick off a
great career in the medical field. There are some prerequisites for the phlebotomy
courses, including being 18 years of age, and having graduated from high school.
You can view more info on their website here:
http://www.ohiomcc.com/proptcp.html
Resources Used in this Article:
Wikipedia – The image at the top of this post is from Wikipedia and is protected under the General Public License.