Question

I have a question for anybody who works in the healthcare field. I currently work as a pca and I'm in school to become an EKG technician, I only have $700 left and then I'm done. So my question is should I stop at EKG or should I go 2 more months and do phlebotomy? The thing is its 1, 800 and I already paid 2, 300 for EKG. I heard employers rather people who have both instead of one but I'm not sure of what I should do

Answer 1

Are you going to a trade school where you are paying out of pocket? Because I’m a LPN, CNA, HHA, PCA girl I got many titles. But I was thinking about doing the same thing as far as the EKG but I’m thinking hard about Phlebotomy because that’s where it’s at thou.  

Comments

Agency unfortunately its hard getting into a hospital out here

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@festus okay yes I’m at agency now but I will be going back to the nursing home in May- November because I work outside of the city

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@curious5293 wouldn't you be able to get into a hospital since you have your lpn? For me personally I can't work in a nursing home too much stuff happens. And its a lot of responsibility for one person

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@festus yes but I don’t have time for a hospital at the moment

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@curious5293 oh ok

Answer 2

It NEVER hurts to get more certification under your belt. All it does is open up more opportunities. If something should ever happen to your current situation you would have more options when looking. Invest in yourself  

Comments

@slimsy that's true, thank you I didn't look at it like that

Answer 3

If you are currently employed in that field check with your HR dept to see if it would be worth the $. I think more certs the better

Answer 4

I highly recommend phlebotomy. I myself did a 900$ course 15 years ago and it has opened every opportunity I have ever held. I also taught MA. Phlebotomy and EKG at a college and I have more students working in a lab setting than a nursing one . It is a highly sought after trade-most nurses don’t know how to draw blood.  

Comments

@padegs7045 that's interesting to know I thought all nurses knew how to draw blood

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@festus They all don’t. Especially the older nurses. They didn’t need to know how, there was always lab personnel to do it. A lot of nurses don’t do ekgs either. I have worked as a pct, cpt, ccma , college instructor and lpn and I do all the things because I’ve had the education and experience to be confident. I have my aas and almost done with my bas so I can run a clinic. But I would have never done any of it without that phlebotomy course.  

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Wow thanks so much. I guess I didn't realize how important phlebotomy really is. I just assumed that it was a requirement and everybody knew how to draw blood

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In my career, I’ve never come across a fellow nurse tell me they don’t know how to draw labs. It’s more like we don’t have time. So when you have access to another trained person to handle that task, you let them. I’ve worked in several different places and most places didn’t have ekg techs. Nurses just read them themselves. I would definitely add phlebotomy to your certs because it will open many more doors for you.  

Answer 5

Depends on where you live. I live in Utah and EKG techs get paid more than phlebotomists and at the hospital where I work I don't know anyone that has both. Maybe look for job postings in your area to see if one is more needed and the pay difference?  

Comments

@sharpsighted I live in New York and I don't know many people that have both either. And most job postings doesn't list the pay rate which is annoying sometimes