When you remember that there are good career prospects and that the salary is pretty competitive, it is clear to see why more and more people are choosing to have a career in phlebotomy, especially in the great state of California. It is a good choice of career for someone who wants to work in the medical industry, but not necessarily as a doctor or nurse. Plus, if you are wondering ‘how do you become a phlebotomist in California’, then it is a career that can be recommended because of the educational opportunities that come from this profession when you choose to live and work in California.
Certification requirements to become a phlebotomist in California
As a California phlebotomist, your main job role is to be responsible for taking samples of blood correctly from your patients, and then carefully handling the blood. The reason for taking the blood could be because of diagnostic testing, working in a blood bank, for blood transfusions, and many more. If you think that this is the right kind of career for you, then here are some of the things that you can do so that you know exactly how to become a phlebotomist in California.
In California, there is a regulatory body for any practicing phlebotomist: the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). They help to oversee phlebotomists in the state to check that they are all working in the right way, and they oversee how phlebotomists get certified. For anyone looking to get certified in any area of California, there are some specific requirements that are needed for people looking to work in specific cities, such as San Diego and the Bay Area.
When it comes to phlebotomy in California, there are three types of certifications that you can get. None of them technically require you to have a degree, but it can help to stand you above the crowd if you have an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare-related field.
PhlebotomyU Courses
PhlebotomyU offers several courses. In our CPT I classes, students will receive hands on experience and practice this procedure in clinical and classroom settings. Contact PhlebotomyU today to learn which course is best for you.
The first type of certifications that you can get is a limited phlebotomy technician. This is a person who is trained and is authorized to puncture skin in order to collect a blood sample, but to do this only. If you want to get this certificate then you need to:
- Have a high school diploma as a minimum, or another GED certificate
- Attend and complete twenty hours of training from a CDPH program
- Be supervised as you perform twenty-five skin punctures as part of your training
- Apply for certification to work as a Limited Phlebotomy Technician
The next kind of certification you can get for phlebotomy in California is a Phlebotomy I Technician. This means that you can do skin punctures as well as venipunctures to collect blood samples. In order to qualify for this kind of verification you must:
- Have a high school diploma as a minimum
- Complete forty hours of training with an approved CDPH program
- Completed forty hours of practical and clinical training, including fifty venipunctures
- Pass an exam by an approved CDPH organization
- Apply for certification to work as Phlebotomy I Technician.
The third and final certification that you can train to do in California is a Phlebotomy II Technician. This means that you can do all that a Phlebotomy I Technician can, as well as arterial punctures for blood work and taking blood samples. In order to qualify for this kind of certification you must:
- Already be a CDPH licensed Phlebotomy I Technician, having worked for at least five years and have worked for over 1000 hours
- Complete and be assessed on performing twenty arterial punctures
- Have a written letter by an approved practitioner stating you have performed the arterial punctures
- Applied to the CDPH to work as a Phlebotomy II Technician.
In California, any certification expires after two years, so in order to renew it and carry on working, there is a fee to pay. Not only that, but you will need to complete six hours of continuing education courses to be granted certification again.
Salary Expectations for Phlebotomists in California
According to research from Salary.com, in California, working as a phlebotomist can be one of the best states to be in. The average salary for a phlebotomist in California is nearly $40,000, which is above the average across the nation. Working as a phlebotomist in cities like San Jose and San Francisco can be the most lucrative, with phlebotomists in California earning the least, on average, in Fresno and Sacramento.
Enroll at PhlebotomyU Today
After achieving your CPT1 certificate at PhlebotomyU, you will be ready to find your dream phlebotomy job. As a nationally accredited phlebotomy training program, PhlebotomyU prepares its students with the skills they need to succeed afterwards including career services , a phlebotomy internship, and more. Interested? Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.
