Selecting a Phlebotomy Training Program near Mifflintown Pennsylvania

Selecting the right phlebotomist school near Mifflintown PA is an essential first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult undertaking to analyze and compare all of the training alternatives that are available to you. However it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to ensure that you get a superior education. In fact, many students start the process by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. Another option you might consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to an area campus. We’ll review more about online classes later in this article. What you need to keep in mind is that there is far more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and must 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 choose the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online training.

Phlebotomy Tech Work Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary duty, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to confirm that the tools being employed are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample must be accurately labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork must be accurately completed in order to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab screening procedure. 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. Some Mifflintown PA phlebotomists in fact work in labs and are accountable for making sure that samples are tested properly using the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they may be required to train other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

The most basic answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work environments are many and diverse, including Mifflintown PA medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood centers. They can be charged to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or young children to seniors. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a certain kind 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 working in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. In contrast, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital environment would be collecting blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from new patients each day.

Phlebotomist Training, Licensing and Certification

There are essentially 2 kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomy training in Mifflintown PA, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program normally takes less than a year to complete and provides a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically require two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a four year program offer a more extensive background in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will probably want to be certified. Although not required in most states, a number of employers require certification before hiring technicians. A few of the principal certifying organizations include:

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

There are several states that do require certification in order to practice as a phlebotomist, such as California and Nevada. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you pick a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a quality education, but also prepares you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomist Online Colleges

To start with, let’s resolve one possible misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A good portion of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an approved Mifflintown PA 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 portion of the training may be attended online, it can be a more convenient alternative for many students. As an additional benefit, some online schools are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some costs, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened also. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy college you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can receive a quality education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then attaining your certificate or degree online may be the right choice for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomist Schools

Since you now have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already selected the kind of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the Pennsylvania campus is significant in addition to the tuition expense. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an phlebotomist online college. Each of these decisions are a critical component of the process for selecting a school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when making your decision. Following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the Mifflintown PA colleges you are considering prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states call for certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of clinical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomy tech. Consequently, you might have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomist program that meets the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working and prepares you for all exams you may be required to take.

Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you choose should be accredited by a highly regarded regional or national accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited program in addition to a guarantee of a premium 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 agencies. Also, accreditation will help in getting financial aid or loans, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited programs in Mifflintown PA. Finally, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the job market.

What is the School’s Ranking? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their students as part of their job assistance program. You can research online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can even contact several Mifflintown PA area clinics or hospitals that you might be interested in working for and find out if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the Pennsylvania school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Adequate Training Provided? To begin with, contact 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 Mifflintown PA phlebotomist program that you are looking at should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums might signify that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Find out from the Pennsylvania colleges you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with regional health care 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 establish relationships within the local Mifflintown PA healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Available? Getting your first phlebotomy position will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Inquire if the schools you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement rate 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 an excellent reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Mifflintown PA health care community.

Are Class Times Offered to Fit Your Schedule? Finally, it’s important to verify that the ultimate college you pick provides classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is especially true if you choose to still work while going to school. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Mifflintown PA, make certain they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is should you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Desire to Be a Phlebotomy Tech?

When preparing to interview for a Phlebotomy Technician position, it's a good idea to reflect on questions you could be asked. Among the questions that interviewers often ask Phlebotomist candidates is "What made you pick Phlebotomy as a career?". What the interviewer is trying to learn is not just the private reasons you may have for being Phlebotomy Tech, but also what characteristics and skills you have that make you exceptional at what you do. You will likely be asked questions relating exclusively to Phlebotomy, in addition to a significant number of standard interview questions, so you need to organize several ideas about how you would like to address them. Because there are so many factors that go into selecting a career, you can respond to this primary question in a number of ways. When readying an answer, aim to include the reasons the profession interests you as well as the abilities you possess that make you an excellent Phlebotomy Tech and the ideal choice for the job. Don't attempt to memorize an answer, but write down a few concepts and topics that relate to your personal strengths and experiences. Reading through sample responses can help you to develop your own thoughts, and provide ideas of what to discuss to enthuse the interviewer.

Select the Ideal Phlebotomy School near Mifflintown PA

Making certain that you enroll in the ideal phlebotomist training is an essential first step toward your success in this rewarding healthcare career position. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a premium college. Phlebotomist training programs can be available in a number of academic institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive array of programs in medical care and health sciences. Program options may differ a bit across the country as every state has its own criteria when it concerns phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to thoroughly screen and compare each program before making your final decision. By addressing the questions that we have presented, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can pick the best school for you. And with the appropriate training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Mifflintown PA.

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