Choosing a Phlebotomy School near Lucedale Mississippi

Picking the right phlebotomist training near Lucedale MS is an important initial step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging task to evaluate and compare each of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s necessary that you complete your due diligence to ensure that you receive a superior education. In reality, many potential students begin their search by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. Another option you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk a bit more about online classes later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is far more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and need to be part of your selection process also. 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 pick the right one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our conversation about online classes.

Phlebotomy Tech Job Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal duty, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to check that the instruments being used are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample must be properly 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 testing procedure. 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 infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many Lucedale MS phlebotomists in fact work in laboratories and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested properly utilizing the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough responsibilities, they might be required to train other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomists Employed?

The simplest response is wherever patients are treated. Their work environments are many and varied, such as Lucedale MS medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood centers. They may be assigned to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or toddlers to seniors. A number of phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a certain type of patient. For instance, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be drawing blood from elderly patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. On the other hand, phlebotomists working in a general hospital setting would be collecting samples from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing

There are essentially two types of programs that provide phlebotomy training in Lucedale MS, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to complete and furnishes a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. 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 normally require two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program furnish a more extensive background in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not mandated in most states, a number of employers look for certification prior to hiring technicians. A few 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 few additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you choose a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a premium education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing exams that you are required or elect to take.

Online Phlebotomist Classes

First, let’s resolve one potential mistaken belief. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A good component of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an approved Lucedale MS healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. Numerous courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-clinical component of the training can be attended online, it could be a more practical option for many students. As an added benefit, some online schools are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be lessened also. Just verify that the online phlebotomy school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a superior education with this method of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online may be the ideal option for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Now that you have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You might have already picked the type of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the Mississippi college is important in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an online phlebotomist college. Each of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for selecting 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 all of the Lucedale MS programs you are looking at prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Mississippi or the state where you will be working and prepares you for all exams you may have to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program 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 school aside from a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to take a certification examination offered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Also, accreditation will help in securing loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited schools in Lucedale MS. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to future employers in the job market.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s important to investigate the reputations of any schools you are considering. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can even talk to some Lucedale MS area clinics or hospitals that you may have an interest in working for and see if they can offer any insights. As a closing thought, you can check with the Mississippi school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Plenty of Training Provided? First, contact the Mississippi 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 Lucedale MS phlebotomist program that you are reviewing should furnish at least 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 comprehensive enough to provide adequate training.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out from the Mississippi schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional health care facilities. They are the optimal way to obtain hands-on clinical training often not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Lucedale MS healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Available? Finding your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Inquire if the programs you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the program has both an excellent reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the Lucedale MS health care community.

Are Class Times Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to confirm that the final program you choose provides classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is particularly important if you opt to still work while attending college. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lucedale MS, check that they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option also. And if you have decided to study 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 have to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

Why Did You Desire to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?

When preparing to interview for a Phlebotomy Technician position, it's advantageous to review questions you could be asked. One of the questions that hiring managers typically ask Phlebotomy Tech applicants is "What made you choose Phlebotomy as a profession?". What the interviewer is attempting to learn is not only the private reasons you may have for being Phlebotomy Tech, but also what characteristics and abilities you have that make you good at what you do. You will likely be asked questions pertaining exclusively to Phlebotomy, in addition to a significant number of standard interview questions, so you need to prepare several strategies about how you want to answer them. Given that there are several factors that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this fundamental question in a multitude of ways. When preparing an answer, try to include the reasons the work appeals to you as well as the abilities you have that make you an exceptional Phlebotomist and the perfiect choice for the position. Don't try to memorize a response, but jot down several ideas and talking points that pertain to your own experiences and strengths. Reading through sample responses can help you to develop your own concepts, and provide ideas of what to include to wow the recruiter.

Choose the Right Phlebotomy Program near Lucedale MS

Making sure that you select the most suitable phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying health care field. As we have addressed in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomist training programs can be available in a variety of academic institutions, such as junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive range of courses in medical care and health sciences. Program offerings may differ a bit across the country as each state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomy training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you need to thoroughly evaluate and compare each school before making your ultimate selection. By addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can pick the ideal school for you. And with the proper training, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Lucedale MS.

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