Choosing a Phlebotomy Technician School near Great Bend Kansas

Selecting the right phlebotomy technician school near Great Bend KS is an important first step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging undertaking to evaluate and compare each of the training options that are available to you. However it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to ensure that you receive a quality education. In reality, most prospective students begin the process by considering two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional option you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to an area campus. We’ll review more about online classes later in this article. What you need to keep in mind is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables such as reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and should be part of your decision process too. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you select the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online training.

Phlebotomy Tech Work Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary responsibility, there is actually far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the tools being utilized are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample must be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork has to be accurately filled out to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Some Great Bend KS phlebotomists actually work in laboratories and are accountable for making sure that samples are analyzed correctly using the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they may be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomists Employed?

The easiest answer is wherever patients are treated. Their workplaces are numerous and diverse, such as Great Bend KS medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be tasked to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. Some phlebotomists, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a certain kind of patient. For instance, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be drawing blood from elderly patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with different patients each day.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing

There are primarily 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomy training in Great Bend KS, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program usually takes less than a year to complete and provides a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers 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 provide training to become a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally require 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a 4 year program offer a more expansive background in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. While not mandated in the majority of states, a number of employers require certification before hiring technicians. Some of the key certifying organizations include:

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

There are several states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, including Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also prepares you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomist Online Colleges

First, let’s dispel one likely misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial part of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an approved Great Bend KS healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. Many courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-clinical portion of the training can be attended online, it might be a more practical alternative for many students. As an added benefit, a number of online programs are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenses, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a premium education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the right choice for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Programs

Now that you have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the Kansas campus is important as well as the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an online phlebotomist school. Each of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for picking a program or school. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided several questions that you should ask about each of the Great Bend KS schools you are looking at prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed prior to working as a phlebotomist. As a result, you might need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Kansas or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for all exams you may have to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you choose should be accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from a guarantee of a premium education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are often unavailable for non-accredited colleges in Great Bend KS. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the job market.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to check the reputations of all colleges you are looking at. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also check with several Great Bend KS local hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and see if they can offer any recommendations. As a final thought, you can check with the Kansas school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Sufficient Training Provided? To begin with, check with the Kansas 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. As a minimum, any Great Bend KS phlebotomy program that you are considering should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything below these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internships Included? Find out from the Kansas schools you are considering if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional medical facilities. They are the ideal way to get hands-on clinical training often not obtainable on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students develop contacts within the local Great Bend KS healthcare community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing your first phlebotomist job will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a higher rate, signifying they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation along with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Great Bend KS healthcare community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? And last, it’s crucial to verify that the final school you select provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. This is especially important if you choose to still work while attending college. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Great Bend KS, 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 as well. Even if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is in case you have to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Desire to Be a Phlebotomy Tech?

When prepping to interview for a Phlebotomist position, it's a good idea to reflect on questions you could be asked. One of the questions that hiring managers often ask Phlebotomist prospects is "What made you choose Phlebotomy as a profession?". What the interviewer is trying to discover is not merely the private reasons you may have for becoming Phlebotomist, but also what attributes and skills you have that make you outstanding at what you do. You will undoubtedly be asked questions relating exclusively to Phlebotomy, along with a certain number of standard interview questions, so you should prepare a number of ideas about how you would like to respond to them. Since there are several variables that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this fundamental question in a number of ways. When formulating an answer, aim to include the reasons the work interests you as well as the strengths you possess that make you an excellent Phlebotomy Technician and the best choice for the position. Don't try to memorize a response, but take down some concepts and talking points that relate to your personal experiences and strengths. Going over sample responses can help you to develop your own thoughts, and provide ideas of what to discuss to wow the recruiter.

Find the Ideal Phlebotomist College near Great Bend KS

Making sure that you pick the most suitable phlebotomist training is an essential first step toward your success in this fulfilling healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a superior program. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs are found in a wide range of educational institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive range of programs in medical care and health sciences. Training program offerings may vary somewhat across the country as each state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you must diligently research and compare each school before making your final selection. By addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the best college for you. And with the appropriate education, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Great Bend KS.

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