Selecting a Phlebotomist School near Lehigh Acres Florida

Picking the ideal phlebotomist training near Lehigh Acres FL is a critical first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult task to assess and compare all of the school options that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to make certain that you obtain a quality education. In reality, many potential students begin the process by considering two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you may consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to an area campus. We’ll discuss a bit more about online classes later in this article. What you need to keep in mind is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and need to be part of your selection process as well. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you choose the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards continue our conversation about online schools.

Phlebotomist Work Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their primary duty, there is in fact much more to their job description. Before collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to confirm that the instruments being used are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample needs to be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork must be properly completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory screening procedure. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be tested for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Some Lehigh Acres FL phlebotomists in fact work in laboratories and are in charge of ensuring that samples are analyzed properly utilizing the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they can be asked to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Practice?

The simplest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work environments are numerous and varied, including Lehigh Acres FL hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or toddlers to seniors. A number of phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a particular kind of patient. For instance, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be collecting blood from older patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be collecting samples from a wide range of patients and would work with new patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Licensing and Certification

There are basically 2 types of programs that provide phlebotomy training in Lehigh Acres FL, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program normally takes less than a year to complete and furnishes a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training to become a phlebotomist. Offered at junior and community colleges, they usually require two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program offer a more extensive background in lab sciences. Once you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. While not required in most states, many employers look for certification before employing technicians. A few of the main certifying organizations include:

• National Phlebotomy Association
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)

There are a few states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, including Nevada and California. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a quality education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomist Schools

To begin with, let’s dispel one possible mistaken belief. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial component of the program of studies will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an approved Lehigh Acres FL healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-practical part of the training may be accessed online, it could be a more practical alternative for many students. As an added benefit, some online classes are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some costs, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomy college you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a superior education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online might be the right option for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges

Since you now have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the Florida school is important in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an phlebotomy online school. All of these decisions are an important part of the procedure for picking a school or program. But they are not the only considerations when making your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you should ask about each of the Lehigh Acres FL programs you are considering before making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program State Specific? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed before working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s very important to select a phlebotomist program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Florida or the state where you will be working and readies you for any exams you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you select should be accredited by a highly regarded regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from a guarantee of a quality education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to take a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools in Lehigh Acres FL. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the job market.

What is the School’s Ranking? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to check out the reputations of all colleges you are reviewing. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even talk to some Lehigh Acres FL local clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and see if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the Florida school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Enough Training Provided? To begin with, contact the Florida regulator or the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any Lehigh Acres FL phlebotomy program that you are reviewing should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything below these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to offer adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the Florida colleges you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with local healthcare facilities. They are the optimal means to get hands-on practical training frequently not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local Lehigh Acres FL medical community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting your first phlebotomy job will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the program has both a good reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the Lehigh Acres FL medical community.

Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to make sure that the final college you choose offers classes at times that are compatible with your hectic lifestyle. This is especially true if you decide to still work while going to college. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Lehigh Acres FL, check that they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option also. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up protocol is should you need to miss any classes due to illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Want to Be a Phlebotomist?

When getting ready to interview for a Phlebotomy Technician job, it's important to consider questions you might be asked. Among the questions that recruiters typically ask Phlebotomy Technician applicants is "What made you select Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is hoping to uncover is not merely the private reasons you may have for being Phlebotomist, but also what qualities and talents you have that make you outstanding at your profession. You will probably be asked questions pertaining exclusively to Phlebotomy, along with a certain number of general interview questions, so you should organize a number of approaches about how you want to answer them. Given that there are so many factors that go into selecting a career, you can address this fundamental question in a variety of ways. When preparing an answer, try to include the reasons the profession appeals to you along with the abilities you have that make you an exceptional Phlebotomist and the perfiect choice for the position. Don't attempt to memorize an answer, but take down several ideas and topics that relate to your personal experiences and strengths. Reading through sample responses can help you to formulate your own thoughts, and provide ideas of what to include to wow the recruiter.

Choose the Right Phlebotomy Course near Lehigh Acres FL

Making sure that you enroll in the most suitable phlebotomy training is a critical first step toward your success in this fulfilling medical care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium school. Phlebotomy training programs can be offered in a wide range of educational institutes, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide array of programs in medical care and health sciences. Program offerings may vary slightly across the country as each state has its own mandates when it concerns phlebotomy training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must diligently research and compare each college before making your final choice. By asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the right school for you. And with the proper education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Lehigh Acres FL.

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