Blood Bank Specialist Jobs

A blood bank technician monitors the safety and quality of donated blood. Blood bank jobs are important because they protect both blood donors and patients receiving lifesaving blood transfusions.
 
Blood bank technicians must have excellent critical thinking and reasoning skills, and they must communicate effectively when speaking and writing. They should be good problem solvers and be able to work with complicated medical equipment. Good teamwork and leadership skills are also important.

Job Description

Blood bank specialists subject blood samples to testing. These tests include:
  • Checking for antigens and antibodies
  • Labeling and storing blood products
  • Performing blood services such as collecting, typing and processing blood samples
  • Providing support for doctors during blood transfusions
  • Studying unusual or abnormal samples
  • Testing blood donations for viruses.
 
Blood bank technicians work for blood-donation centers, transfusion blood-service centers, reference labs and research facilities. The job of blood bank specialist may also include supervising others or leading a team of other technicians. Since hospitals and some clinics are open 24 hours, evening and overnight shifts may be required.

Salary Guide

The average blood bank technician salary varies depending on location, experience and level of education. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, most blood bank jobs offer a starting salary of around $40,000 to $50,000 a year. With experience and promotions, many blood bank technicians can see their salaries increase up to $75,000 a year.

Education, Training and Work Experience

In the US, the typical blood bank certification program lasts 12 months and includes hands-on clinical experience as well as coursework in:
  • Blood bank administration
  • Blood donation
  • Blood transfusion
  • Genetics
  • Management
  • Quality control
  • Serological techniques
  • Testing for viruses and disease.
 
After the coursework and clinical experience are complete, candidates take an exam to become certified by the Board of Registry.
 
Non-certified individuals can also become blood bank technologists if they've graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in science or medical technology, and have experience working at a blood bank.

Career Advancement

Qualified blood bank technicians may move into supervisory or management roles. Some technicians move into blood bank automation, where they help develop automated tools to address the workforce shortages that many clinics experience. Others work at colleges and universities, either teaching certification courses or performing university research.

Related Associations and Groups

There are many associations and groups available for blood bank technicians and prospective technicians to use as resrouces. They include:
  • American Association of Bioanalysts
  • American Association of Blood Banks
  • American Medical Technologists
  • American Society for Clinical Pathology
  • National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel.
 
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