Choosing a Phlebotomy Technician Training Program near Harrison New York

Picking the ideal phlebotomy technician school near Harrison NY is an essential first step toward a rewarding profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging undertaking to assess and compare all of the training alternatives that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s important that you do your due diligence to make certain that you get a quality education. In reality, a large number of prospective students start the process by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. Another factor you might 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 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 should be part of your decision process also. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you select the ideal one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online schools.

Phlebotomist Career Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their primary duty, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the tools being utilized are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample must be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork has to be properly completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory screening process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many Harrison NY phlebotomists in fact work in labs and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested correctly using the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

The easiest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work places are many and diverse, including Harrison NY hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They can be assigned to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomy techs, based on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a particular type of patient. For instance, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would only be collecting blood from senior patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would work with new patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomist Training, Licensing and Certification

There are primarily 2 types of programs that provide phlebotomist training in Harrison NY, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to finish and provides a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not specifically a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they normally take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program provide a more extensive background in lab sciences. Once you have finished your training, you will probably want to be certified. While not mandated in the majority of states, most employers require certification before hiring technicians. A few of the primary certifying agencies 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 phlebotomist, such as Nevada and California. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you select a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a superior education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Online Phlebotomy Classes

To start with, let’s resolve one likely misconception. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial part of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be performed either in an approved Harrison NY 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-clinical component of the training can be attended online, it could be a more convenient alternative for many students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are more affordable than their traditional competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be lowered as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomist college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a premium education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then attaining your certificate or degree online may be the ideal option for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Now that you have a basic understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You may have already picked the type of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the New York campus is important in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an online phlebotomist school. All of these decisions are an important part of the process for choosing a program or school. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are several questions that you should ask about all of the Harrison NY schools you are looking at before making your ultimate decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As mentioned previously, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states require certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you might have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that satisfies the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you pick should be accredited by a respected national or regional accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of benefits to graduating from an accredited school in addition to an assurance of a superior education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in securing loans or financial assistance, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges in Harrison NY. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to future employers in the job market.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, 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 colleges you are considering. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can research online school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can also check with some Harrison NY area clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the New York school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Plenty of Training Provided? First, check with the New York 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 Harrison NY phlebotomist program that you are considering should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the New York colleges you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional health care facilities. They are the optimal means to get hands-on clinical training often not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local Harrison NY medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Harrison NY health care community.

Are Class Times Compatible With Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to make sure that the final college you pick offers classes at times that are compatible with your hectic lifestyle. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending college. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Harrison NY, make certain 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 practical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up protocol is should you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Want to Be a Phlebotomy Technician?

When preparing to interview for a Phlebotomy Tech job, it's advantageous to reflect on questions you could be asked. One of the questions that interviewers typically ask Phlebotomy Technician applicants is "What made you pick Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is hoping to learn is not merely the private reasons you may have for being Phlebotomy Tech, but also what characteristics and abilities you possess that make you good at your profession. You will undoubtedly be asked questions pertaining exclusively to Phlebotomy, along with a significant number of general interview questions, so you should ready a number of ideas about how you want to respond to them. Considering there are several factors that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this primary question in a multitude of ways. When readying an answer, try to include the reasons the profession interests you as well as the talents you have that make you an outstanding Phlebotomy Tech and the ideal choice for the position. Don't try to memorize an answer, but jot down some concepts and topics that pertain to your own experiences and strengths. Reviewing sample responses can help you to develop your own concepts, and inspire ideas of what to discuss to impress the interviewer.

Enroll in the Ideal Phlebotomist Course near Harrison NY

Making sure that you choose the ideal phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling medical care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomist training programs are offered in a number of academic institutes, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings may vary slightly across the country as every state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must thoroughly screen and compare each school prior to making your ultimate selection. By asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the ideal school for you. And with the appropriate training, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Harrison NY.

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