How to Find the Best Phlebotomist Training Classes near San Bruno California

Enrolling in the ideal phlebotomist training near San Bruno CA is an important initial step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult undertaking to investigate and compare all of the school options that are available to you. However it’s important that you complete your due diligence to make certain that you receive a superior education. In reality, a large number of students begin their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional option you might consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll discuss more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is a lot more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and must be part of your selection process as well. Toward that end, we will supply a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you choose the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our conversation about online schools.

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Should You Choose a Career as a Phlebotomy Technician?

First of all, few people probably know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short definition is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will go into more depth later. So naturally anyone who selects this profession must be OK around needles and blood. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other San Bruno CA medical environments, well this job may not be right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians tend to work around nervous people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you may be expected to work weekends, evenings and even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the blood and needles, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are patient and compassionate, this could be the perfect profession for you.

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Phlebotomy Technician Work Description

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their main function, there is actually far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to verify that the instruments being used are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample must be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork must be properly completed to be able to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab testing procedure. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. A number of phlebotomists in fact work in San Bruno CA laboratories and are in charge of ensuring that samples are tested correctly utilizing the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they might be required to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Practice?

The easiest response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are numerous and varied, including San Bruno CA hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They may be charged to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or toddlers to seniors. Some phlebotomists, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting samples from a specific kind of patient. For example, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would only be drawing blood from senior patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. In contrast, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital setting would be collecting blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing

There are primarily 2 kinds of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to complete and offers a basic education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training to become a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they typically require 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a four year program offer a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. Once you have finished your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not required in most states, a number of San Bruno CA employers require certification before employing technicians. A few 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 prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, like California and Nevada. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you pick a phlebotomy training program that not only provides a quality education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomy Online Schools

To begin with, let’s resolve one likely misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial component of the curriculum will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Numerous courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-practical portion of the training may be accessed online, it could be a more convenient alternative for many San Bruno CA students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are more affordable than their traditional competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist school you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive online and clinical training, you can receive a quality education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Since you now have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the college is important if you will be commuting from San Bruno CA in addition to the tuition expense. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online school. Each of these decisions are an important part of the procedure for picking a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided several questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As earlier discussed, 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 requirement regarding the minimum amount of clinical training performed before working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s very important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that complies with the state specific requirements for California or the state where you will be working and preps you for any examinations you may be required to take.

Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a respected national or regional accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from a guarantee of a premium education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to future employers in the San Bruno CA job market.

What is the College’s Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to investigate the reputations of any colleges you are considering. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their students as part of their job placement program. You can research internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also check with a few San Bruno CA clinics or hospitals that you might have an interest in working for and find out if they can provide any recommendations. As a final thought, you can contact the California school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Adequate Training Included? First, check with the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are considering should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (most 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 Sponsored? Ask the schools you are looking at if they have an internship program in collaboration with local health care facilities. They are the ideal way to obtain hands-on practical training typically not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students establish contacts within the local San Bruno CA health care community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Available? Finding your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Inquire if the schools you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the San Bruno CA medical community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it’s crucial to make sure that the ultimate school you select provides classes at times that are compatible with your hectic schedule. This is especially true if you choose to still work while attending college. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near San Bruno CA, make certain they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend part-time, make sure 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 find out what the make-up protocol is should you need to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

Phlebotomist Training Requirements San Bruno CA

Best Phlebotomy Technician Education San Bruno California

Making certain that you choose the most suitable phlebotomy training is a critical first step toward your success in this gratifying healthcare career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs are available in a number of educational institutions, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive range of courses in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program options may differ a bit across the country as each state has its own requirements when it concerns phlebotomy training, licensing and certification. The most critical point is that you must thoroughly screen and compare each program prior to making your final choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Phlebotomy Technician Education and to get more information regarding Weekend Phlebotomy Course.  However, by addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune 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 phlebotomy technician in San Bruno CA.

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