Picking a Phlebotomist School near Garden City Michigan

Choosing the right phlebotomy training near Garden City MI is an important first step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging undertaking to evaluate and compare all of the school options that are available to you. However it’s important that you complete your due diligence to make certain that you receive a quality education. In fact, many prospective students start their search by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Another option you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to an area campus. We’ll talk a bit more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is a lot more to checking out 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 decision 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 reviewing to help you pick the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards continue our discussion about online classes.

Phlebotomy Tech Job Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, collects blood samples from patients. Although that is their main function, there is in fact far more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the instruments being employed are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample must be correctly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork must be correctly completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory screening process. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Some Garden City MI phlebotomists in fact work in laboratories and are accountable for ensuring that samples are tested properly using the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough responsibilities, they might be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

The simplest response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are many and diverse, such as Garden City MI hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be assigned to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a specific kind of patient. For instance, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomists working in a general hospital environment would be collecting samples from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Licensing and Certification

There are basically 2 types of programs that provide phlebotomist training in Garden City MI, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program normally takes under a year to complete and furnishes a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program offer a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. Although not required in most states, most employers look for 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 some states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, including California and Nevada. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a quality education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification exams that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomy Online Training

To begin with, let’s dispel one likely mistaken belief. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial portion of the course of study will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an approved Garden City MI 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 component of the training can be accessed online, it may be a more convenient alternative for some students. As an added benefit, many online schools are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some costs, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy college you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a quality education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then earning your degree or certificate online might be the ideal option for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Since you now have a general idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already chosen the type of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the Michigan school is important in addition to the tuition expense. Perhaps you have decided to enroll in an online phlebotomy college. All of these decisions are an important part of the procedure for selecting a program or school. But they are not the sole concerns when making your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you need to ask about each of the Garden City MI colleges you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed before practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s very important to choose a phlebotomy program that meets the state specific requirements for Michigan or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for any examinations you may be required to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a respected national or regional accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of benefits to graduating from an accredited program in addition to a guarantee of a superior education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to take a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges in Garden City MI. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more attractive to future employers in the job market.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist 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 considering. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their students as part of their job placement program. You can screen internet school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even contact a few Garden City MI local clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a final thought, you can check with the Michigan school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Plenty of Training Provided? To begin with, check with the Michigan regulator or the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any Garden City MI phlebotomist program that you are reviewing should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything less than these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to provide sufficient training.

Are Internships Included? Find out from the Michigan programs you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with local medical facilities. They are the optimal means to receive hands-on clinical training frequently not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students develop relationships within the local Garden City MI health care community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting your first phlebotomy position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the program has both a good reputation along with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Garden City MI healthcare community.

Are Class Times Available as Needed? Finally, it’s critical to confirm that the ultimate program you select offers classes at times that are compatible with your active lifestyle. This is especially true if you opt to continue working while going to school. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Garden City MI, make sure they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option also. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is in case you have to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

Why Did You Desire to Become a Phlebotomist?

When prepping to interview for a Phlebotomist position, it's important to review questions you might be asked. One of the things that recruiters often ask Phlebotomist prospects is "What drove you to choose Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is attempting to discover is not only the private reasons you might have for becoming Phlebotomy Tech, but additionally what attributes and talents you have that make you exceptional at what you do. You will undoubtedly be asked questions relating specifically to Phlebotomy, as well as a significant number of typical interview questions, so you should ready some strategies about how you want to respond to them. Given that there are several factors that go into choosing a career, you can respond to this primary question in a number of ways. When formulating an answer, try to include the reasons the work appeals to you as well as the strengths you have that make you an excellent Phlebotomist and the best candidate for the job. Don't attempt to memorize a response, but write down several concepts and anecdotes that pertain to your personal experiences and strengths. Reviewing sample responses can help you to prepare your own thoughts, and inspire ideas of what to include to wow the recruiter.

Choose the Ideal Phlebotomist Course near Garden City MI

Making sure that you enroll in the ideal phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomy training programs are available in a wide range of educational institutes, including junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer a comprehensive range of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Course options can vary a bit from state to state as every state has its own mandates when it pertains to phlebotomist training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must diligently screen and compare each college before making your ultimate selection. By addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can pick the right college for you. And with the appropriate training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Garden City MI.

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