Phlebotomy technicians draw blood from patients or donors in hospitals, blood banks, clinics, physicians' offices, or other facilities. They assemble equipment, verify patient identification numbers, and withdraw blood either by puncturing a person's finger, or by extracting blood from a vein or artery with a needle syringe. They label, transport, and store blood for analysis or for other medical purposes.

A phlebotomist may work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, outpatient drawing facilities (labs), physicians offices, clinics, or may travel to different locations such as convalescent hospitals for example. The work environment may dictate what additional duties a phlebotomist performs. For example, in some hospitals or outpatient drawing facilities, a phlebotomist may be responsible for the processing of the specimens he/she collected from the patient. Once the spinning (spinning is the process of separating and/or mixing blood using a machine called the centrifuge) is complete the specimens would need to be divided, which may also be done by the phlebotomist. They may also have some clerical duties such as patient reception and computer data entry.
On a busy day, medical laboratory assistants may interact with over 100 patients and collect blood from 50 patients. Larger private labs have over 250 patients come through in a day. With an ever-increasing squeeze on health-care dollars, these people must be able to work quickly and accurately.

The field of phlebotomy is constantly becoming more advanced. There is much more to phlebotomy than just taking blood from a finger or a vein. Although the actual venipuncture takes skill, it is equally important to have an understanding as to what need to be done with the specimens once they are collected.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook does not have a category specifically for phlebotomists. The closest related category is clinical laboratory technologists and technicians.

There were 313,000 workers in this field in 1998. About half of those worked in hospitals.

Employment in this field is expected to grow as fast as average through 2008. That's because there will be more laboratory tests as the population grows and new tests are developed.

Phlebotomists are not specifically mentioned in Michigan's Occupational Employment Statistics report. However, the report does say there were 3,650 medical and clinical laboratory technicians working in the state in 1999. The state's Occupational Projections report says about 170 new clinical laboratory technicians and technologists will be needed every year.

Experience, level of education, employer, and work performed determine the salary ranges for phlebotomy technicians. Beginning full-time phlebotomy technicians have median annual salaries around $16,000. The median annual salary for more experienced workers is around $18,000. Pay rates are highest in the Northeast and West.

Advancement: At some hospitals, phlebotomy technicians advance through several different levels of responsibility and pay, depending on their training and experience.

One of the most common career paths for phlebotomy technicians is to work for a few years in a hospital or laboratory and then return to school to study medical laboratory technology or some other branch of clinical laboratory medicine.
There may also be supervisory advancement opportunities within blood bank centers. For example, you can return to school, obtain a bachelor's degree, attend a specialized fifth-year program, and become a certified specialist in blood bank technology.

Until recently, on-the-job training was the norm for phlebotomy technician. Now, formal programs are offered through independent training schools, community colleges, or hospitals. Most programs last from 10 weeks to one year. They include both in-class study and supervised, clinical practice. Course work includes anatomy, physiology, introduction to laboratory practices, communication, medical terminology, phlebotomy techniques, emergency situations, and CPR training.

Certification for phlebotomy technicians varies according to state and employer. Several agencies grant certification. To be eligible to take the qualifying examination from the American Society of Phlebotomy Technician, or from the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, there are several criteria. You must have worked as a full-time phlebotomist for six months or as a part-time phlebotomist for one year, or have completed an accredited phlebotomy training program.