How to Find the Best Phlebotomy School near Auberry California

Picking the ideal phlebotomy technician school near Auberry CA is a critical first step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult task to investigate and compare each of the training alternatives that are available to you. However it’s important that you complete your due diligence to make sure that you get a quality education. In fact, a large number of students begin their search by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. Another factor you might look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll discuss a bit more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as reputation and accreditation are also significant considerations and must be part of your decision 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 assessing to help you pick the ideal one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our discussion about online classes.

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Should You Become a Plebotomist?

Right out of the gate, few people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a health care professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be comfortable with blood and needles. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Auberry CA medical facilities, well this job probably is not the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians routinely work with nervous people who hate needles or having a blood sample taken. And because most health care facilities are open 24 hours, you may be expected to work weekends, nights and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the needles and blood, and if you enjoy helping people and are patient and compassionate, this may be the perfect profession for you.

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Phlebotomy Technician Career Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their main responsibility, there is in fact far more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the instruments being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample needs to be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork has to be accurately filled out to be able to track the sample from the time of collection through the lab testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Many phlebotomists actually work in Auberry CA laboratories and are responsible for making certain that samples are analyzed correctly utilizing the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they can be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomy Techs Practice?

The most basic response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are many and diverse, including Auberry CA hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. Some phlebotomists, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a specific kind of patient. For instance, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would only be collecting blood from senior patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomists working in a general hospital setting would be drawing samples from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients every day.

Phlebotomy Education, Certification and Licensing

There are primarily two types of programs that provide phlebotomist training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program typically takes less than a year to finish and furnishes a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It offers the fastest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally take two years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program provide a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will no doubt want to become certified. While not required in most states, many Auberry CA 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 a few states that do require certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like Nevada and California. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a quality education, but also prepares you for any certification or licensing examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Online Phlebotomist Certificates and Degrees

First, let’s dispel one possible mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant part of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Many courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-practical component of the training may be accessed online, it may be a more convenient alternative for some Auberry CA students. As an additional benefit, a number of online colleges are less expensive than their traditional counterparts. And some expenditures, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be lessened as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a quality education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to learn at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online may be the right option for you.

Questions to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges

Since you now have a basic idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already chosen the type of program you wish 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 Auberry CA in addition to the cost of tuition. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online school. All of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole considerations when making your decision. Below we have provided a few questions that you need to ask about each of the colleges you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while some others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to select a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for California or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for all 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 regional or national accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited school aside from a guarantee 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. Also, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are typically not available for non-accredited schools. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the Auberry CA job market.

What is the School’s Ranking? In numerous states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to check the reputations of all schools you are looking at. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their students as part of their job assistance program. You can research online school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can also contact some Auberry CA hospitals or clinics that you might be interested in working for and see if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can contact the California school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

Is Enough Training Provided? To begin with, check with 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. At a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are reviewing should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything less than these minimums may indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to provide sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask the programs you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with regional medical facilities. They are the optimal means to obtain hands-on practical training often not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish relationships within the local Auberry CA healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting your first phlebotomy position will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Inquire if the schools you are considering provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school 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 together with a large network of professional contacts within the Auberry CA health care community.

Are Class Times Conveniently Scheduled? And last, it’s important to confirm that the final college you choose offers classes at times that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. This is especially true if you choose to continue working while going to college. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Auberry CA, make certain they are available at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, verify 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 ask what the make-up procedure is should you have to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.

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Local Phlebotomy Technician Schools Auberry California

Making certain that you enroll in the right phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this fulfilling medical care field. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomy training programs can be found in a wide range of educational institutions, such as junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide assortment of programs in medical care and health sciences. Program options may vary somewhat from state to state as each state has its own mandates when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you must diligently evaluate and compare each college prior to making your final choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Local Phlebotomy Technician Schools and to get more information regarding Accelerated Drawing Blood Courses.  However, by asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the best phlebotomist school for you. And with the appropriate training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Auberry CA.

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