Phlebotomy, Low Barrier to Entry Pros, Cons, and Solutions

Did you know that anyone can become a phlebotomist!? For most states, it is relatively simple - and not even required for certain individuals to take a specific program or pass a national exam. BUT it is highly recommended to do so because most employers will require some type of program and national certification prior to hiring a phlebotomist. 

Due to the prevalence of phlebotomy in healthcare, it is a good thing that there is a low barrier to entry for individuals to start in this field. But the downside to this can be potential lack of training, education, and skills development. This is not the case for all programs - but many healthcare professionals find themselves starting their careers without feeling confident or comfortable in some of these skills. 

    COVID and the overall labor shortage in healthcare has only made these issues worse. Creating an even greater shortage, lowering the barrier to entry even further, and an even greater lack of training/education due to now a lack in the education side of healthcare as well. 

   But the good news is that there are solutions! We just need more hands on deck. Fortunately, technology has helped us develop further training and education that can be utilized on a larger scale. For example - an online course can reach an infinite amount of people, and multiplying an educator's efforts tenfold. Technology also allows individuals to learn at their own pace and on their own time. This allows individuals to learn new skills and prepare for a new career while still being able to work their current jobs. It allows individuals to absorb the information more thoroughly because they are not being rushed through a specified amount of time to memorize the information. And by using technology to create widespread knowledge and consistency of knowledge being shared - we can now free up our educators to do more hands-on and in-person training. This allows for the in-person time to be utilized more efficiently and to focus on skills practice, rather than simple distribution of knowledge.