Choosing a Phlebotomy Training Program near Greensboro Pennsylvania

Picking the right phlebotomy training near Greensboro PA is a critical initial step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging task to assess and compare each of the school options that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you get a superior education. In fact, a large number of potential students start their search by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional factor you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is far more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and should be part of your selection process also. Toward that end, we will supply a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you pick the right one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our discussion about online training.

Phlebotomy Technician Career Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. Although that is their main task, there is actually much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the instruments being used are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample needs to be accurately labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork must be properly filled out to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab testing procedure. The phlebotomist then delivers 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. Many Greensboro PA phlebotomists in fact work in laboratories and are in charge of ensuring that samples are tested correctly utilizing the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they might be asked to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Practice?

The simplest answer is wherever there are patients. Their workplaces are numerous and varied, including Greensboro PA hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be charged to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a specific kind of patient. For instance, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would only be collecting blood from senior patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients every day.

Phlebotomy Education, Licensing and Certification

There are essentially 2 kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomist training in Greensboro PA, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program typically takes under a year to finish and offers a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally take two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a 4 year program provide a more comprehensive background in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will probably want to be certified. While not required in the majority of states, many employers look for certification prior to employing technicians. Some of the key certifying agencies 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 in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like California and Nevada. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only offers a superior education, but also prepares you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomy Online Training

First, let’s resolve one possible misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A good portion of the course of study will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an approved Greensboro PA healthcare facility or an on-campus lab|an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility}. Many courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical portion of the training can be attended online, it might be a more convenient option for some students. As an added benefit, many online programs are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some costs, including those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened also. Just make certain that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can receive a quality education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online may be the best option for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges

Since you now have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already picked the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the Pennsylvania school is important in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an online phlebotomist program. All of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for choosing a school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the Greensboro PA colleges you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you might need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s very important to choose a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working and readies you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program you choose should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several benefits to graduating from an accredited program in addition to a guarantee of a superior education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools in Greensboro PA. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to future employers in the job market.

What is the School’s Ranking? In many states there is minimal 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 check out the reputations of any schools you are looking at. 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 research online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can even contact a few Greensboro PA local hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and find out if they can offer any insights. As a closing thought, you can check with the Pennsylvania school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Sufficient Training Provided? First, check with the Pennsylvania regulator or the state regulator where you will be working to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any Greensboro PA phlebotomy 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 below these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internships Provided? Find out from the Pennsylvania programs you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with regional healthcare facilities. They are the optimal means to get hands-on practical training typically not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Greensboro PA healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Help Available? Getting your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation along with a substantial network of professional contacts within the Greensboro PA health care community.

Are Class Times Available as Needed? Finally, it’s important to verify that the final college you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while going to college. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Greensboro PA, make sure they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to study online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is should 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 Phlebotomy Technician position, it's a good idea to consider questions you might be asked. One of the questions that interviewers frequently ask Phlebotomist prospects is "What made you decide on Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is attempting to uncover is not only the private reasons you might have for becoming Phlebotomist, but also what attributes and skills you have that make you outstanding at what you do. You will probably be asked questions pertaining exclusively to Phlebotomy, along with a certain number of typical interview questions, so you must ready a number of ideas about how you would like to answer them. Given that there are numerous variables that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this primary question in a number of ways. When formulating an answer, attempt to include the reasons the work interests you along with the abilities you have that make you an excellent Phlebotomy Technician and the best candidate for the position. Don't try to memorize an answer, but take down several ideas and anecdotes that relate to your own experiences and strengths. Reading through sample answers can help you to prepare your own concepts, and provide ideas of what to include to enthuse the interviewer.

Find the Best Phlebotomist School near Greensboro PA

Making sure that you select the right phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying health care field. As we have discussed in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium program. Phlebotomy training programs are available in a variety of academic institutions, including community or junior colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive array of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Course offerings may differ a bit across the country as every state has its own prerequisites when it concerns phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to diligently screen and compare each school before making your final decision. By addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can select the right school for you. And with the proper training, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Greensboro PA.

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