Nebraska, home to the creator of Kool-Aid and over 1.8 million people. Industrially influential, it is also the location of the world’s largest train yard and the home of the Union Pacific Railroad. Nebraska’s role in freight transport complements its large agricultural economic sector as it is also a major producer of beef, pork, corn, soybeans and sorghum. The largest city of Nebraska is Omaha where the head offices of the Insurance Magnate, Mutual of Omaha are located. Interestingly, an intersection in the capital city of Lincoln, 13th and O Streets, is said to be one of three locations of “Where the West Begins.”
The average salary for Phlebotomists in Ohama, NE is $29,437 per year. There will be variation across the state and in different cities, since Omaha is the largest city average salaries tend to be higher there than elsewhere in Nebraska.
Phlebotomist Requirements for Nebraska
In terms of phlebotomy, the state doesn’t have any requirements to become one. You do not even need to be certified but you will have a very hard time finding a job without any sort of certification, so it’s highly recommended that you take a training program at an accredited school. Phlebotomy work is well suited to people who have experience in the customer service field and can deal with a wide variety of people with all kinds of different problems and conditions. If you have a low immune system this line of work may not be for you as you will be exposed to sick people on a regular basis. You must be good with following procedures for safety and cleanliness.
Even though you don’t technically have to be certified to be employed as a phlebotomist in the state of Nebraska you will be hard-pressed to find an employer that will hire you without any sort of prior training or certification. Your largest source of employers as a phlebotomist will be blood banks, medical laboratories, and hospitals, possibly private clinics as well. Most employers will be looking for certification from one of the following national agencies:
- • National Center for Competency Testing 145 test questions must be answered over 2.5 hours. Written evidence of clinical competency is required.
- • American Medical Technologists. Phlebotomist. Requires work experience, oral or written exam, renewal every three years through CEU and re-examination.
- • American Society for Clinical Pathology, Phlebotomy Technician (PBT, ASCP). Requires training or work experience, oral or written exam, renewal every ten years, can renew through CEU
- • American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians, Phlebotomist. Requires practical exam, written exam, annual CEUs to maintain certification
- • National Phlebotomy Association. Phlebotomist. Requires oral or written exam
Bringing competence to your work, being an attractive candidate to employers, and being eligible for a higher starting wage are just a few of the advantages of becoming certified. One of the best ways to get certified is to complete a diploma program of phlebotomy training in Nebraska. These programs are typically three to six months long, and to complete a program you will typically need to complete up to 40 hours of classroom training, 40 hours of practical training, prove that you have completed as many as 100 venipunctures and 10 skin punctures, and pass one of the nationally accredited exams mentioned above. Most schools will require you to submit your high school or GED transcripts to apply and pass a background and drug test.