Picking a Phlebotomy Technician Course near North Wales Pennsylvania

Choosing the ideal phlebotomist training near North Wales PA is a critical initial step toward a gratifying profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult undertaking to assess and compare all of the school alternatives that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you perform your due diligence to ensure that you obtain a quality education. In fact, most prospective students start their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you might look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll review a bit more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your decision 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 select the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our conversation about online training.

Phlebotomy Technician Career Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their main responsibility, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Before collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must check that the tools being used are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample has to be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork needs to be accurately completed to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory 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 infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Some North Wales PA phlebotomists actually work in labs and are accountable for ensuring that samples are tested properly utilizing the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they may be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Practice?

The easiest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work environments are many and diverse, including North Wales PA hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. 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, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a certain kind of patient. For instance, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be drawing blood from senior patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be drawing samples from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from new patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomist Training, Licensing and Certification

There are primarily 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomist training in North Wales PA, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program usually takes less than a year to finish and provides a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest method to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Available at community and junior colleges, they usually require two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program furnish a more extensive background in lab sciences. Once you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to be certified. While not required in most states, a number of employers require certification before hiring technicians. Some 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 several states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, including Nevada and California. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only offers a quality education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomist Online Colleges

To begin with, let’s resolve one potential mistaken belief. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial part of the program of studies will be clinical training and it will be carried out either in an approved North Wales PA 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. However since the non-clinical component of the training may be attended online, it might be a more practical option for many students. As an additional benefit, many online programs are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenditures, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be reduced as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomy program you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (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 learn at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online may be the right choice for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges

Now that you have a general understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the Pennsylvania college is significant as well as the tuition expense. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an online phlebotomy program. All of these decisions are a critical component of the process for choosing a school or program. But they are not the only considerations when making your decision. Following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the North Wales PA schools you are considering prior to making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states call for certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Every state has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed prior to working as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for Pennsylvania or the state where you will be working and readies you for any exams you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you choose should be accredited by a highly regarded national or regional accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited school aside from an assurance of a quality education. First, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to take a certification examination administered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges in North Wales PA. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the job market.

What is the College’s Reputation? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist schools, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s important to check out the reputations of any colleges you are looking at. 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 reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even check with several North Wales PA local 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 find out if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Sufficient Training Included? First, contact the Pennsylvania 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. As a minimum, any North Wales PA phlebotomist program that you are considering should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out from the Pennsylvania programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with local healthcare facilities. They are the optimal way to get hands-on clinical training often not provided on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish contacts within the local North Wales PA medical community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are looking at offer 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 a good reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the North Wales PA health care community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? Finally, it’s crucial to make sure that the final college you pick offers classes at times that will accommodate your busy schedule. This is particularly true if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near North Wales PA, make certain they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up procedure is in case you have to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

Why Did You Decide to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?

When prepping to interview for a Phlebotomist job, it's helpful to consider questions you may be asked. One of the questions that hiring managers typically ask Phlebotomist applicants is "What drove you to select Phlebotomy as a profession?". What the interviewer is attempting to discover is not only the private reasons you may have for becoming Phlebotomy Tech, but additionally what qualities and abilities you have that make you good at what you do. You will probably be asked questions relating primarily to Phlebotomy, along with a significant number of general interview questions, so you need to ready a number of ideas about how you want to address them. Since there are numerous factors that go into selecting a career, you can address this primary question in a number of ways. When formulating an answer, try to include the reasons the profession interests you along with the talents you possess that make you an excellent Phlebotomist and the perfiect choice for the position. Don't make an effort to memorize a response, but jot down several ideas and talking points that pertain to your personal strengths and experiences. Reviewing sample responses can assist you to prepare your own thoughts, and provide ideas of what to include to enthuse the recruiter.

Find the Best Phlebotomy School near North Wales PA

Making sure that you enroll in the ideal phlebotomy training is an essential first step toward your success in this fulfilling healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a premium college. Phlebotomy training programs can be offered in a variety of academic institutions, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive array of courses in medical care and health sciences. Program options may differ somewhat 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 must carefully evaluate and compare each college prior to making your ultimate selection. By asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your options 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 North Wales PA.

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