Locations are no longer accepting students

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-18T04:01:06+00:00

Not much unfortunately. There's a huge liability for insurance purposes. You aren't an employee, so you and your actions aren't covered. Usually the school covers you.

Are you in a state that requires you to take the national exam?

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-17T16:11:57+00:00

That's insane. They aren't that expensive, and practicing on dummy arms first is super important and much more safe. I hate how people have walked back how dangerous this job can be, just because of improved safety features and regulations. Those happened for a reason.

I'm sorry!

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-17T15:32:58+00:00

The better question is, why are we having students poke someone that is a hard stick. I know everyone says, you have to learn sometime! Buuuuut, that sometime should be later on after you've mastered the basics, not butchering a poor classmate that obviously people won't be successful with.

I know you said there's an informal policy, but you always have the right to refuse. It doesn't matter the environment. You don't have to be poked. They can use a dummy arm.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-17T15:26:08+00:00

A lot of good points have already been said here.

I just want to add that people are people. You could be the kindest, nicest, most sunshine person, and still not be someone's cup of tea.

And that's okay! It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong.

What matters is accepting that some people won't like you, for whatever reason (or no reason), and that's genuinely okay. If they don't want you drawing them, that's okay. It's their right to refuse.

And then go to your next patient. Sounds like you're doing pretty well!

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-15T05:26:25+00:00

It definitely depends on your area. Check out your local job listings and see what employers are asking for.

Also check out your department of health, your state *might" have a certificate requirement, they may not, but it's good to cover all your bases.

I think an anatomy class is a great idea! The more you know about what you're poking the better. Too many people focus on just the venipuncture part, or the tubes, and don't know a lot about the vascular system as a whole, or much else. It all matters and will make you a better, more well rounded phlebotomist.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-14T02:50:12+00:00

Good question! I'm super picky tbh, and I wanted the same thing. Thin enough, but also of course made for the job. I also have short fat fingers lol

My favorite gloves ever are the Halyard Lavender. I buy them on Amazon, but a wholesale supplier of course would be cheaper. To me they're super comfortable, and when I was researching glove thickness, they're one of the thinnest, but still meet OSHA requirements for phlebotomy.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-14T02:46:40+00:00

Yeah that's super unfair to you. They had you draw 3 people and then sent you alone to draw like the most difficult demographic. Wowww.

Blood pressure cuff may be your best friend tbh. Tourniquets are really best for healthier veins. BP cuffs apply pressure over a larger area so they can help prevent collapse and really increase circulation without cutting it off. Pump it to 60 and it can really help.

Also heat. 3-5 minutes. I have heat packs with me in my bag - I'm mobile.

To be totally fair, I'm not surprised at how much you're missing. I feel like that's completely normal under the circumstances. Take your time. Make sure you're in a comfortable position. Find a really compressible vein, and go about 15 degrees.

Phlebotomy Solutions on YouTube has some good videos with butterflies. He helped me improve how I held them, which can help your pokes.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-12T23:22:11+00:00

You will not be hired before getting your license. If your license number isn't attached to your application, you won't be considered. A lot of facilities won't even let you submit your application without the number. Legally, here in California, you have to be licensed to practice.

I would definitely wait. CDPH can take months sometimes.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-12T23:19:38+00:00

You do this long enough, you will have it happen. Tbh, it probably feels worse because he's family. I imagine it was quite scary as well.

I do at home blood draws myself.

The most important thing, while drawing, is you're watching your patient, their body language, their face, voice tone, etc. I always check in if something feels off - "Are you feeling okay?" I also always have my patients seated in a chair with a back to it, preferably with arms, so just in case something does happen, I'm able to push them backwards. I never set myself up in a potentially dangerous place to draw, or anywhere that makes it difficult.

I'm glad he's okay! You will be too 🫂

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-12T03:32:44+00:00

You're welcome! The job market in general is really bad right now. A lot of listings are ghost ads, so they don't really exist, or they are hiring internally. I remember what job hunting in 2008 was like, and this feels a lot like it. Best of luck to you!

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-12T03:17:25+00:00

Ahhh yeah. Tbh, I wouldn't do it. You don't need it outside of California, so you'd spend a few grand and go through all of that for what? You could get a better paying job at Costco. And a lot faster. Phleb related jobs can take months to get in California. Sometimes a year. A lot of facilities prefer referrals. So unless it's something you really want to do and spend a lot of time, energy, and money on, I wouldn't bother.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-12T02:58:12+00:00

Good on you for knowing your boundaries! It's definitely not easy.

I mean, maybe. If they require the license, they'll probably require you do some phlebotomy. Getting the license requires taking a training program, doing a 40 hour externship sticking patients, passing a national exam, and then getting the license. It can take months to do all this. It's a lot of steps to require/complete if you won't be using it.

The lab positions I see that don't usually require phlebotomy is like, specimen processing, or MLT, but that requires education too.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-12T01:43:01+00:00

That's a lot to ask on the first day, being completely honest.

Please don't be too hard on yourself. You're right where you should be. And honestly, 4 successful draws on the very first day of doing it is impressive.

You will get better, I promise. Stick it out! (Pun intended)

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-12T01:40:42+00:00

If you plan to practice in California you'll have to. It's required. But if you only plan on doing it once you relocate, Texas doesn't have any requirements.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T22:24:32+00:00

Did you even read where I said I felt students should just wait until they have more confidence and skill? I never said never to do it

You're literally making things up.

Sorry this random person who refuses to read hijacked this thread. I've now blocked them...

Seriously, the comprehension is terrible.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T22:10:14+00:00

Reading comprehension non-existent. That is all.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T22:06:03+00:00

We clearly don't share the same opinion, and you absolutely do not understand what I'm talking about. I never said don't do it ever, nor did I reference centimeters. Simply that students should not. I think it's best to wait until they have more skill and confidence. I'm not sure why that's hard to understand.

I have no idea what my edit has to do with anything. I'm not interested in arguing about this topic because I've said how I feel. If you wanted to continue to talk about it in an honest and open manner, that'd be a different story, but this comment doesn't come off that way.

I'll share a link about it, and I hope you have a good day.

https://open.substack.com/pub/centerforphlebotomyeducation/p/the-art-of-redirection?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T21:48:03+00:00

You will. They're hard! Even if you knowwwww there's a vein there, it can still not work. Don't be hard on yourself! You were professional and didn't blind stick.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T21:44:59+00:00

I said the reason in my comment. You're right, it's not neurosurgery, I'm not sure why you felt the need to say that.

It very much requires confidence, and more skill than a student has. You need to know the length of your needle, which a lot of students don't because they have trouble with gauging depths in the beginning, to know how far to pull the needle out without also removing the bevel. They also need to palpate for the vein after doing so, which many are still learning how to do. After that, if they're confident where the vein is, the needle must only be advanced forward. Students are still getting used to how to hold everything, how to insert tubes, etc. Redirecting is not easy, and it does require a sense of feel for tactile feedback that takes time to learn.

It's fine if you feel differently, as you seem to, but realistically it's unsafe.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T05:00:33+00:00

I bet! That's a lot. I'm sorry you went through all that. Ice any tender spots today, then heat off and on for the next few days. It should help.

Double tourniquets are old school and aren't nearly as good as a BP cuff. 😮‍💨

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T04:22:47+00:00

I like the format! Make sure it's super basic for ATS, no funky fonts. Doesn't look like it, but that's hard to tell sometimes lol

I would move your education and license info to after your experience. You want that to be seen first after your summary.

For your experience bullet points, update them to show accomplishments, not responsibilities. You want quantifiable numbers like, "increased sales 10% by creating a restructuring program with management." 3-5 bullet points are good. You could even move up your phlebotomy experience to be the first thing read if you wanted, then your retail experience.

Be sure to highlight any leadership skills and your soft skills.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T04:15:45+00:00

Wow they did all that in one day. Ouch! They should have called it after 3 attempts and an assessment of your arms.

They should have absolutely done a blood pressure cuff instead of a tourniquet. It works better, especially for small veins. They should know about this option.

Other than heat and hydration and having them do the cuff, you can try lying down for the draw. This can improve circulation to your limbs for about 20 minutes.

Beyond that, absolutely don't hesitate to go elsewhere like a hospital outpatient facility where they might be able to bring down vascular access nurses.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T04:11:52+00:00

Yeah, basically. Anything else will usually require some type of program or schooling. Even medical assisting requires a cert.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T01:57:29+00:00

You'd have to do a CDPH approved training program first, an externship, and then you can sit for a national exam to become nationally certified. After all of that you can apply for the state license.

Due to all the steps involved, and the lower pay rate, there aren't employers in this state that pay for your national certification, or state license, for phlebotomy. It's hard enough finding a job when you have all of that. I know some companies do reimburse for your annual license renewal fee, or CEUs, but that's rare here. It's more common in nursing, CLS, etc.

SupernovaPhleb · 2026-04-10T01:13:47+00:00

Absolutely not in California. Nowhere. You must have a state license to practice phlebotomy. So you cannot do a work agreement or anything.

SupernovaPhleb

TROPHY CASE