How to Enroll in the Right Phlebotomy Technician School near Greenfield California
Choosing the right phlebotomy technician school near Greenfield CA is an important initial step toward a fulfilling career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult undertaking to analyze and compare each of the school options that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you complete your due diligence to make certain that you receive a superior education. In reality, most potential students begin their search by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. Yet another factor you might look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a local campus. We’ll review more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is far more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your selection process as well. To assist in that effort, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you pick the ideal one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online training.
Request Free Information on Phlebotomy Training Near You!
Should You Become a Plebotomist?
Right out of the gate, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short definition is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. We will go into more depth later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be OK around needles and blood. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Greenfield CA medical environments, well this job probably is not right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work with nervous people who don’t like needles or having a blood sample drawn. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you may be required to work weekends, evenings and even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the blood and needles, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this may be the perfect job for you.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Phlebotomy Training Near You!
Phlebotomy Technician Work Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their principal function, there is in fact much more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the tools being employed are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample has to be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork must be correctly filled out to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the laboratory testing procedure. 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 Greenfield CA laboratories and are responsible for ensuring that samples are analyzed correctly under the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they can be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?
The most basic answer is wherever there are patients. Their workplaces are many and diverse, such as Greenfield CA hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood banks. They may be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to senior citizens. Some phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a certain type of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be drawing blood from senior patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital environment would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would work with different patients every day.
Phlebotomy Education, Licensing and Certification
There are primarily two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program normally takes under a year to complete and provides a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally take two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a four year program furnish a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to be certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, a number of Greenfield CA employers look for certification prior to employing technicians. A few 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 several states that do call for certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, such as California and Nevada. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only furnishes a superior education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Phlebotomist Online Training
To begin with, let’s resolve one potential misconception. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A good portion of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. A large number of courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-practical part of the training can be accessed online, it could be a more practical option for some Greenfield CA students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are more affordable than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenditures, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced also. Just verify that the online phlebotomy school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can receive a superior education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online may be the best option for you.
Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Schools
Since you now have a general idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already selected the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is significant if you will be commuting from Greenfield CA in addition to the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist college. Each of these decisions are a critical component of the procedure for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are reviewing prior to making your ultimate decision.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to California? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Every state has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed before working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for California or the state where you will be working and prepares you for any examinations you may have to take.
Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you select should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of benefits to graduating from an accredited program in addition to an assurance of a quality education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to take a certification examination offered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited programs. Last, graduating from an accredited school can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Greenfield CA job market.
What is the School’s Ranking? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to investigate the reputations of any colleges you are reviewing. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can screen internet school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can also talk to some Greenfield CA clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can check with the California school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in total compliance.
Is Plenty of Training Included? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything lower than these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.
Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out from the colleges you are considering if they have an internship program in collaboration with area health care facilities. They are the optimal way to receive hands-on clinical training often not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students develop relationships within the local Greenfield CA health care community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting your first phlebotomist job will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a high rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation together with a large network of professional contacts within the Greenfield CA medical community.
Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s critical to make sure that the final college you pick offers classes at times that are compatible with your active schedule. This is particularly important if you opt to still work while going to school. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Greenfield CA, check that they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, 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 ask what the make-up policy is should you need to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.
Phlebotomy Training Classes Greenfield CA
Evening Drawing Blood Schools Near Me Greenfield California
Making certain that you pick the ideal phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this fulfilling medical care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomist training programs are offered in a wide range of educational institutes, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings can differ somewhat across the country as every state has its own requirements when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you need to thoroughly evaluate and compare each school prior to making your ultimate selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Evening Drawing Blood Schools Near Me and to get more information regarding Part Time Phlebotomy Tech Courses Near Me. However, by addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can select the ideal phlebotomy school for you. And with the proper training, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Greenfield CA.
More California Bloody Wonderful Locations
Greenfield, California
Greenfield (formerly, Clarke Colony) is a city in Monterey County, California, United States.[6] Greenfield is located in the Salinas Valley, 33 miles (53 km) southeast of Salinas,[9] at an elevation of 289 feet (88 m).[6] The city was the fastest growing in the county during the 2000s, the population was 12,583 in 2000,[10] increasing to 16,330 in the 2010 census. Its most well-known public event is the annual Harvest Festival. Greenfield is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.
In 1902, The California Home Extension Association, founded by John S. Clark, purchased 4,000 acres (1,600ha) of land that had been part of Rancho Arroyo Seco, a Mexican land grant deeded to Joaquín de la Torre in 1840.[9] The land was put up for sale at a public drawing in Los Angeles in 1905. Buyers could purchase an acre with water rights for about $37.50. A purchase of 2.5 acres came with an added benefit — a lot in town.
In addition to the acreage, Clark got the water rights to the land. He formed The Clark Colony Water Company, which became the organization for water distribution and filled the city with water from the nearby Arroyo Seco River. The organized water canal system and ideal growing conditions attracted people of Danish, Swiss and other nationalities from surrounding areas to settle in this new colony. Originally, the town was going to be named Clark City, but that was nixed by the U.S. Postal Service which informed the City there were too many “Clark Cities” in the state. Instead, the community named the town after one of its early founders and president of the Association, Edward Greenfield.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
5 Reviews 