Imagine being able to excel in the profession you love — while having the freedom to work wherever and whenever you like.
Does it sound too good to be true? It can be your reality when you’re a travel phlebotomist.
Working as a traveling phlebotomist means you have the unique opportunity to do the job you love while helping fill the needs of healthcare facilities across the country.
Discover what it takes to embark on this exciting career and the travel phlebotomist agency that can help make your dream a reality.
Table of Contents
- Is There Such Thing as a Traveling Phlebotomist?
- What Does a Travel Phlebotomist Do?
- Is Being a Travel Phlebotomist Worth It?
- 3 Benefits of Working as a Travel Phlebotomist
- How To Become a Travel Phlebotomist: A Look at Skills, Qualifications, Demand, and Earning Potential
- Travel Phlebotomist FAQs
- Where Can Travel Phlebotomists Work?
- Where Are Travel Phlebotomist Jobs Located?
- Start Your Travel Phlebotomist Journey With Pronto
Is There Such Thing as a Traveling Phlebotomist?
There is!
While a staff phlebotomist works at the same facility each day, a traveling phlebotomist gets to choose where they want to work. They also have the flexibility of spending time in a variety of medical settings across the United States.
What Does a Travel Phlebotomist Do?
A traveling phlebotomist works in an array of clinical settings and specializes in drawing blood samples from patients for purposes such as:
- Medical testing
- Research
- Blood donation
Their role is vital in the healthcare field and includes:
- Preparing specimens to help doctors and specialists diagnose and treat disease
- Tracking patient health
- Conducting medical research
Travel phlebotomists may choose to fill a contracted position across the U.S. or in their own backyard.
Is Being a Travel Phlebotomist Worth It?
You may find a career as a travel phlebotomist to be rewarding if you enjoy performing phlebotomy-related tasks, thrive on helping others, and don’t mind changing your work environment every so often.
To begin your path to the exciting career of a travel phlebotomist, simply create a Pronto job search. Powered by Trusted Nurse Staffing, Pronto helps travel phlebotomists find the top job assignments — without having to spend time scouring the internet for listings that meet their wants and needs.
3 Benefits of Working as a Travel Phlebotomist
#1: You Have Flexibility
One of the cool things about being a traveling phlebotomist is that you get to choose your assignment and the exact medical facility where you will work.
Is a big, bustling hospital your style? It’s likely an option. Positions are also usually available in smaller medical facilities, like blood banks and nursing homes, if that’s more your speed.
Another great thing about becoming a travel phlebotomist is that you get to choose where you want to work and the time frames you want to work in.
Do you have a family reunion in August? No problem. You can take the month off.
Is your sister due with your new nephew in February? By taking a break between traveling assignments, you can arrive at her house right along with the stork.
When you’re a travel phlebotomist, you can schedule time off whenever you want to and make your job fit into your life.
#2: You Get to Travel
The USA is a big, beautiful place, so why not explore it?
When you’re a travel phlebotomist you’ve got the opportunity to choose the area of the country where you want to work.
Have you always wanted to take in a Broadway show in the Big Apple? Look at assignments in New York City.
Want to spend weekends on the beach? Check out the available positions in Florida or California.
If you decide you want to stick close to home for a few months, you can even take a job in your hometown. With all the options available for phlebotomist travel jobs you’ll be able to see the sights and kiss boredom goodbye.
#3: You’ll Pad Your Resume
As a travel phlebotomist, you’ll have the unique opportunity to explore your profession in settings you might not otherwise get to experience as a staff phlebotomist — and your resume will shine!
You’ll get the chance to work in multiple, varied healthcare facilities including hospitals, clinics, and residential facilities, and acquire skills in dealing with a variety of patient populations, physicians, and specialists.
How To Become a Travel Phlebotomist: A Look at Skills, Qualifications, Demand, and Earning Potential
Skills
If you’re considering becoming a travel phlebotomist you’ll need to possess some specific skills, including:
- Great communicator – As a traveling phlebotomist, you’ll need to be able to clearly explain processes to your patients, answer their questions, and be ready to provide reassurance when necessary.
- Empathetic – Are you able to understand others and put yourself in their shoes? Many patients may experience anxiety with the thought or process of having their blood taken. An empathetic travel phlebotomist can identify these feelings and comfort their patients to make the experience less intimidating.
- Attention to detail – Traveling phlebotomists must be extremely precise in every area of the job. You’ll be handling precise tasks like documenting patient information, labeling vials, and maintaining strict safety protocols.
- Patient – You’ll experience patients who are fearful or even unwilling to cooperate, making your job challenging. Patience allows you to stay cool and calm and to deliver high-quality healthcare, whatever the circumstance.
- Skilled at infection control – You’ll be required to maintain a sterile environment and understand and adhere to very specific protocols around disease prevention. These protocols include proper hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and sanitary handling and disposal of used needles and supplies.
Qualifications
Requirements may vary from state to state, but here are the most common qualifications and procedures for becoming a travel phlebotomist:
- Graduate high school – Most phlebotomy programs require you to have your high school diploma or the equivalent.
- Enroll in a phlebotomy program – These may be found at community colleges, vocational schools, or technical institutes. Programs usually take 4 to 8 months and include courses in medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology and typically focus on both classroom and practical instruction, such as drawing blood.
Be sure to select a program that’s accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). The eligibility requirements to enroll in a phlebotomy program typically include:
- Proof of high school graduation or the equivalent
- Current immunization records
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification
- A clean background check
- Pursue certifications – Employers generally prefer to hire travel phlebotomists who have earned a phlebotomy certification. After completing your initial phlebotomy educational program, consider earning a specialized phlebotomist certification. There are many certifications to choose from, including:
- Phlebotomy technician (PBT): This certification may be obtained through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and must be renewed every three years.
- Certified phlebotomy technician (CPT): The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offers certification by passing a 100-question exam. Once earned the certification must be renewed every two years.
- Registered phlebotomy technician (RPT): This certification is available through the American Medical Technologists (AMT) and requires the completion of a phlebotomy program or on-the-job training. It must be renewed every three years.
- Gain experience – To become a travel phlebotomist you usually must have two years of experience.
Demand
The field of phlebotomy is a great career option and is projected to grow slightly faster than other occupations.
There are around 19,500 openings for phlebotomists each year, many of which result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or retire.
Earning Potential
Travel phlebotomist contracts range from 6, 8, or 13 weeks, and occasionally even longer.
The typical travel phlebotomist salary ranges between $34,809 to $43,205, with the average salary for a travel phlebotomist in the United States being $39,067 per year.
Salary will vary widely and depends on factors like:
- Geographic location
- Years of experience
- Facility budgets
- Certification levels
- Type of facility, such as hospital, private clinic, or laboratory
Travel Phlebotomist FAQs
Where Can Travel Phlebotomists Work?
Travel phlebotomists, being key members of the medical community, have the opportunity to work in a variety of healthcare settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Diagnostic laboratories
- Doctor’s offices
- Blood bank centers
- Nursing homes
Where Are Travel Phlebotomist Jobs Located?
If you’re looking for top-paying traveling phlebotomist jobs in the U.S. you’ll definitely want to check out assignments in these locations:
- San Jose, CA – $49,029 per year
- Santa Clara, CA – $49,029 per year
- Fremont, CA – $48,951 per year
- Daly City, CA – $48,834 per year
- San Francisco, CA – $48,834 per year
- Oakland, CA – $47,662 per year
- Berkeley, CA – $47,662 per year
- Hayward, CA – $47,584 per year
Start Your Travel Phlebotomist Journey With Pronto
Are you ready to hit the road as a travel phlebotomist? Quickly and easily get started with Trusted Nurse Staffing by following these simple steps:
- Sign up for Pronto.
- Get connected with a recruiter who will be there to help and answer any questions 24/7.
- Search on Pronto for travel phlebotomist job listings that meet your specific qualifications, needs, and interests.
As an Allied Health Travel phlebotomist with Trusted Staff Nursing, you’ll be matched with your very own team of experts to help you with:
- Compliance – They keep you up-to-date on all necessary facility-specific licensing and testing — and they’ll also cover your licensing and testing costs!
- Payroll – This is often a huge hassle for nurses at larger agencies, but at Trusted Nurse Staffing we have a dedicated payroll team who can answer any questions regarding payroll.
- Ongoing support – We’ll advocate for you throughout your travel phlebotomist assignment and help you land your next assignment when the time comes.
Your partnership with Trusted Nurse Staffing also includes exciting perks like:
- A welcome box
- $1500 bonus for referring your friends or a facility we aren’t already working with
- Ambassador program where they can get rewarded for creating content
- And more
Begin your journey as a travel phlebotomist with Trusted Nurse Staffing today!