Choosing a Phlebotomist School near West Hempstead New York

Selecting the right phlebotomist training near West Hempstead NY is an important first step toward a gratifying profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging undertaking to evaluate and compare all of the school alternatives that are accessible to you. Nevertheless it’s important that you do your due diligence to ensure that you receive a superior education. In fact, many prospective students begin the process by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you might consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to a local campus. We’ll discuss more about online schools later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is a lot more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and must be part of your selection process also. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you pick the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online schools.

Phlebotomy Technician Work Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. Although that is their principal function, there is actually much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the tools being used are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample needs to be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork must be correctly filled out to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory screening process. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Some West Hempstead NY phlebotomists in fact work in laboratories and are responsible for making sure that samples are analyzed correctly under the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be asked to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where are Phlebotomists Employed?

The quickest response is wherever patients are treated. Their workplaces are many and diverse, including West Hempstead NY medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing blood from a certain type of patient. For example, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be collecting blood from senior patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting 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 every day.

Phlebotomist Education, Certification and Licensing

There are primarily 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomist training in West Hempstead NY, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program normally takes under a year to complete and offers a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they usually take 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program offer a more extensive background in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will probably want to become certified. While not mandated in the majority of states, a number of employers look for certification prior to employing technicians. Some of the main certifying agencies include:

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

There are a few states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, including California and Nevada. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only furnishes a premium education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification exams that you are required or elect to take.

Online Phlebotomist Classes

To begin with, let’s resolve one potential mistaken belief. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomy training online. A good component of the program of studies will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an approved West Hempstead NY 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-practical component of the training may be accessed online, it could be a more practical alternative for some students. As an added benefit, some online programs are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be lessened as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomist college you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a premium education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online might be the right option for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges

Now that you have a general idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You may have already picked the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the New York school is important as well as the cost of tuition. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an phlebotomy online school. All of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for choosing a program or school. But they are not the sole concerns when making your decision. Following are several questions that you need to ask about each of the West Hempstead NY programs you are reviewing prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As earlier discussed, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of practical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for any exams you may have to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program you pick should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting agency, 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 an assurance of a quality education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to sit for a certification examination offered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs in West Hempstead NY. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more desirable to future employers in the job market.

What is the College’s Ranking? In a number of states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, 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 any schools you are reviewing. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their students as part of their job placement program. You can screen online school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also talk to some West Hempstead NY area hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and see if they can offer any insights. As a final thought, you can contact the New York school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Adequate Training Included? To begin with, contact the New York 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. As a minimum, any West Hempstead NY phlebotomy program that you are looking at should furnish no less than 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 expansive enough to offer adequate training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the New York programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with regional healthcare facilities. They are the ideal way to get hands-on practical training frequently not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local West Hempstead NY medical community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the support of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are reviewing provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a higher rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation as well as a large network of professional contacts within the West Hempstead NY healthcare community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s crucial to verify that the ultimate school you pick offers classes at times that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending college. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near West Hempstead NY, make sure they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is in case you need to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Choose to Be a Phlebotomy Technician?

When getting ready to interview for a Phlebotomy Tech position, it's helpful to reflect on questions you may be asked. One of the things that recruiters frequently ask Phlebotomist candidates is "What drove you to decide on Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is trying to discover is not just the private reasons you might have for becoming Phlebotomist, but also what characteristics and talents you possess that make you outstanding at your profession. You will probably be asked questions pertaining primarily to Phlebotomy, along with a certain number of general interview questions, so you need to prepare a number of approaches about how you would like to answer them. Because there are numerous factors that go into selecting a career, you can address this primary question in a variety of ways. When formulating an answer, attempt to include the reasons the profession interests you in addition to the abilities you possess that make you an excellent Phlebotomy Tech and the perfiect choice for the position. Don't make an effort to memorize a response, but take down several concepts and talking points that relate to your personal strengths and experiences. Reviewing sample responses can assist you to prepare your own concepts, and give you ideas of what to include to wow the interviewer.

Enroll in the Ideal Phlebotomy Program near West Hempstead NY

Making sure that you choose the ideal phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this rewarding health care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are available in a wide range of academic institutions, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide array of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program offerings may vary slightly across the country as each state has its own criteria when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to diligently evaluate and compare each school prior to 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 proper education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in West Hempstead NY.

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