How to Choose the Right Phlebotomy Training Course near West Granby Connecticut

Enrolling in the right phlebotomy training near West Granby CT is a critical initial step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult undertaking to assess and compare each of the training alternatives that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you do your due diligence to ensure that you get a quality education. In fact, most potential students begin the process by considering 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. Another option you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is a lot more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your selection process too. Toward that end, we will supply a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you pick the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online training.

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Should You Train to Be a Phlebotomy Tech?

Right out of the gate, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short answer is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So of course anyone who chooses this profession must be OK around needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other West Granby CT medical facilities, well this profession probably is not the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Techs tend to work around nervous people who hate needles or having their blood drawn. And because most health care facilities are open around the clock, you will probably be required to work weekends, evenings and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the needles and blood, and if you enjoy helping people and are patient and compassionate, this could be the right profession for you.

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Phlebotomy Technician Career Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal task, there is actually far more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the instruments being used are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample needs to be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork must be properly completed to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab testing procedure. The phlebotomist then transports the blood to either an an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be screened for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many phlebotomists actually work in West Granby CT laboratories and are accountable for making sure that samples are analyzed correctly utilizing the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough responsibilities, they might be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

The most basic response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are numerous and varied, such as West Granby CT medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomists, based on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting samples from a certain kind of patient. For example, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be collecting blood from older 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 collecting samples from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomy Training, Licensing and Certification

There are primarily two kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program generally takes less than a year to finish and provides a basic education along with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually take 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a 4 year program furnish a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to get certified. Although not required in the majority of states, most West Granby CT employers require certification before employing technicians. A few of the main 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 require certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, such as Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s essential that you pick a phlebotomy training program that not only offers a quality education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomist Online Colleges

To start with, let’s dispel one possible mistaken belief. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A significant portion of the program of studies will be clinical training and it will be carried out either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Many courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-clinical part of the training can be attended online, it may be a more practical alternative for some West Granby CT students. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenses, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a quality education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Programs

Now that you have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the type of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the college is relevant if you will be commuting from West Granby CT as well as the tuition expense. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online school. All of these decisions are a critical component of the procedure for selecting a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are several questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are looking at prior to making your ultimate selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of practical training performed prior to working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s very important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Connecticut or the state where you will be working and prepares 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 respected 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 in addition to a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited colleges. Finally, graduating from an accredited college can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the West Granby CT job market.

What is the School’s Reputation? In numerous states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to investigate the reputations of all 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 assistance program. You can screen online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can even contact several West Granby CT hospitals or clinics that you may be interested in working for and find out if they can provide any insights. As a final thought, you can check with the Connecticut school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in full compliance.

Is Sufficient Training Included? First, check with the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to provide sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Find out from the colleges you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with local healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to obtain hands-on clinical training typically not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local West Granby CT medical community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding your first phlebotomist job will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Ask if the schools you are looking at provide 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 school has both a good reputation as well as an extensive network of professional contacts within the West Granby CT healthcare community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? And last, it’s important to confirm that the ultimate school you choose provides classes at times that are compatible with your busy lifestyle. This is particularly important if you opt to still work while attending college. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near West Granby CT, make certain they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option also. Even if you have decided to study online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And ask what the make-up procedure is should you have to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.

Phlebotomy Training School West Granby CT

Phlebotomist School Length West Granby Connecticut

Making sure that you pick the most suitable phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding medical care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality college. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs can be available in a variety of educational institutions, such as junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Course offerings may differ somewhat across the country as every state has its own prerequisites when it pertains to phlebotomy training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you need to thoroughly screen and compare each program prior to making your final decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Phlebotomist School Length and to get more information regarding Find Phlebotomist Education.  However, by asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the right phlebotomist college for you. And with the appropriate education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in West Granby CT.

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