Selecting a Phlebotomy School near Bar Harbor Maine

Picking the right phlebotomist training near Bar Harbor ME is a critical initial step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult undertaking to evaluate and compare each of the school options that are available to you. However it’s important that you do your due diligence to make certain that you obtain a superior education. In fact, a large number of potential students begin the process by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Another factor you might look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll review a bit more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and should be part of your selection process also. To assist in that effort, 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 right 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 Career Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary task, there is actually so much more to their job description. Before collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the tools being utilized are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork needs to be accurately completed in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it can be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many Bar Harbor ME phlebotomists actually work in labs and are responsible for ensuring that samples are tested correctly using the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they may be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Work?

The simplest answer is wherever there are patients. Their work places are many and diverse, including Bar Harbor ME medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be charged to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing samples from a specific type of patient. For instance, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be drawing blood from older patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital setting would be collecting blood from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients each day.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Licensing and Certification

There are essentially two kinds of programs that provide phlebotomist training in Bar Harbor ME, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program normally takes less than a year to finish and offers a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually require two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program furnish a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, many employers look for certification before employing technicians. Some of the primary 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 in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you pick a phlebotomy training program that not only furnishes a quality education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomy Online Colleges

To start with, let’s resolve one likely mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant portion of the course of study will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an approved Bar Harbor ME 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 prior to graduation. But since the non-practical part of the training may be accessed online, it might be a more convenient option for some students. As an added benefit, a number of online programs are more affordable than their traditional counterparts. And some expenditures, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be lowered as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist school you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (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 disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the best choice for you.

Topics to Ask Phlebotomist Programs

Now that you have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already decided on the type of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the Maine campus is significant as well as the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an phlebotomist online program. All of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for picking a school or program. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the Bar Harbor ME programs you are reviewing before making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while some others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum amount of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s very important to select a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for Maine or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for all exams you may have to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a highly regarded regional or national accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited program in addition to an assurance of a superior education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to take a certification examination administered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Also, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools in Bar Harbor ME. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more desirable to future employers in the job market.

What is the School’s Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to check out the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can even contact some Bar Harbor ME local clinics or hospitals that you might be interested in working for and see if they can offer any recommendations. As a final thought, you can contact the Maine school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Plenty of Training Included? To begin with, contact the Maine 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 classroom and practical. At a minimum, any Bar Harbor ME phlebotomy program that you are looking at should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out from the Maine programs you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with local healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to get hands-on clinical training frequently not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Bar Harbor ME health care community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Available? Getting your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a higher rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the program has both an excellent reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Bar Harbor ME health care community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? Finally, it’s critical to make sure that the ultimate school you choose provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is especially important if you choose to still work while attending college. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Bar Harbor ME, make sure they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is in case you need to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.

Why Did You Decide to Be a Phlebotomy Tech?

When preparing to interview for a Phlebotomy Technician job, it's important to reflect on questions you could be asked. Among the questions that interviewers typically ask Phlebotomy Technician candidates is "What made you pick Phlebotomy as a profession?". What the interviewer is attempting to learn is not merely the personal reasons you may have for becoming Phlebotomist, but additionally what qualities and skills you have that make you good at your profession. You will likely be asked questions pertaining exclusively to Phlebotomy, as well as a certain number of standard interview questions, so you should organize several ideas about how you would like to address them. Given that there are so many variables that go into choosing a career, you can respond to this fundamental question in a variety of ways. When readying an answer, aim to include the reasons the work interests you as well as the abilities you have that make you an excellent Phlebotomist and the perfiect choice for the job. Don't attempt to memorize a response, but write down some ideas and topics that relate to your personal strengths and experiences. Going over sample answers can help you to develop your own concepts, and provide ideas of what to include to impress the interviewer.

Choose the Best Phlebotomist Program near Bar Harbor ME

Making certain that you enroll in the ideal phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this rewarding medical care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a superior program. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs can be offered in a variety of educational institutes, such as junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide assortment of programs in medical care and health sciences. Training program options can differ slightly across the country as every state has its own criteria when it pertains to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to carefully evaluate and compare each program before making your ultimate choice. By asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can pick the right school for you. And with the proper training, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Bar Harbor ME.

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