How to Select the Best Phlebotomy Technician School near Granville Massachusetts

Selecting the right phlebotomy technician school near Granville MA is an important first step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a daunting task to assess and compare all of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you receive a superior education. In reality, many potential students start the process by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. Another factor you may look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll review 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 cheapest or the closest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and should be part of your decision process as well. To assist in that effort, we will furnish a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you select the right 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.

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Should You Train to Be a Phlebotomy Tech?

First of all, not many people probably know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short definition is a health care professional whose job is to draw blood. We will go into more depth later. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be able to handle needles and blood. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Granville MA medical environments, well this job probably is not the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Techs often work around nervous people who don’t like needles or having a blood sample drawn. And because many medical facilities are open around the clock, you may be expected to work weekends, nights and even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the needles and blood, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are compassionate and very patient, this may be the right profession for you.

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Phlebotomy Tech Job Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their principal task, there is actually much more to their job description. Before collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must verify that the tools being used are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample needs to be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork has to be properly filled out to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it can be tested for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Some phlebotomists in fact work in Granville MA laboratories and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested properly using the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be required to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

The simplest answer is wherever there are patients. Their work places are numerous and varied, including Granville MA medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood centers. They may be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or young children to seniors. Some phlebotomists, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a particular type of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would solely be drawing blood from elderly 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 working in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with different patients every day.

Phlebotomy Education, Licensing and Certification

There are primarily two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to complete and offers a basic education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will include training to become a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a 4 year program furnish a more expansive background in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. While not mandated in the majority of states, many Granville MA employers require certification prior to hiring technicians. Some of the main certifying organizations 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 phlebotomist, including California and Nevada. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you enroll in a phlebotomist training program that not only offers a superior education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification exams that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomy Online Schools

To begin with, let’s dispel one potential mistaken belief. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial portion of the course of study will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical part of the training may be accessed online, it may be a more convenient option for some Granville MA students. As an added benefit, many online classes are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some costs, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized also. Just make certain that the online phlebotomy school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a quality education with this method of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then earning your degree or certificate online might be the ideal option for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges

Now that you have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You may have already picked the kind of program you wish to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the college is important if you will be commuting from Granville MA in addition to the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomist online program. Each of these decisions are a critical component of the process for selecting a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only concerns when making your decision. Following are several questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are reviewing prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Massachusetts? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states call for certification, while some others mandate licensing. Every state has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum amount of clinical training performed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s very important to select a phlebotomy program that meets the state specific requirements for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working and preps you for all exams you may have to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you choose should be accredited by a highly regarded 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 program aside from a guarantee of a superior education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited colleges. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more attractive to potential employers in the Granville MA job market.

What is the School’s Ranking? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to investigate the reputations of any schools you are looking at. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can screen internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. You can even check with several Granville MA hospitals or clinics that you may be interested in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a final thought, you can contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Adequate Training Provided? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are reviewing should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (most 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 colleges you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional health care facilities. They are the ideal means to receive hands-on clinical training often not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish relationships within the local Granville MA healthcare community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Inquire if the colleges you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, signifying they place most of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the school has both an excellent reputation as well as an extensive network of professional contacts within the Granville MA medical community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s important to make sure that the ultimate school you choose provides classes at times that will accommodate your busy schedule. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while going to school. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Granville MA, check that they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, verify it is an option as well. Even if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is should you have to miss any classes due to emergencies or illness.

Phlebotomy Technician School Granville MA

How To Be A Phlebotomist Granville Massachusetts

Making sure that you select the most suitable phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a premium program. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs can be found in a number of academic institutes, including junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings can differ somewhat across the country as every state has its own mandates when it concerns phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must carefully screen and compare each college before making your ultimate choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How To Be A Phlebotomist and to get more information regarding Education Needed To Be A Phlebotomist.  However, by addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can pick the ideal phlebotomy school for you. And with the appropriate education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Granville MA.

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