How to Find the Best Phlebotomist Training Program near Washington Connecticut

Selecting the ideal phlebotomy school near Washington CT is a critical first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging undertaking to evaluate and compare all of the school alternatives that are available to you. However it’s important that you do your due diligence to ensure that you get a superior education. In fact, most students start their search by considering two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Another option you may consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll talk more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and must be part of your decision process as well. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you pick the right one for you. But before we do that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online training.

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Should You Choose a Career as a Phlebotomy Tech?

First of all, not many people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic answer is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be comfortable with needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Washington CT medical facilities, well this profession probably is not right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work with anxious people who don’t like needles or having a blood sample 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 don’t mind working with the needles and blood, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this could be the right profession for you.

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Phlebotomy Tech Work Summary

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their main responsibility, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to check that the tools being used are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample needs to be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork must be properly filled out 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 an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it can be tested for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many phlebotomists actually work in Washington CT labs and are responsible for making certain that samples are analyzed correctly under the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they may be required to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport 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 Washington CT hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They may be tasked to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or young children to seniors. Some phlebotomy techs, based on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting samples from a certain kind of patient. For instance, those practicing 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 collecting blood from mothers and newborns solely. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be collecting blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with different patients each day.

Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing

There are basically two types of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program normally takes less than a year to finish and offers a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will provide training to become a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they typically require 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as accessible and as a 4 year program furnish a more comprehensive background in lab sciences. When you have finished your training, you will probably want to become certified. Although not required in most states, most Washington CT employers require certification prior to hiring 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 a few states that do require certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like California and Nevada. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only provides a quality education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing exams that you are required or elect to take.

Phlebotomy Online Schools

To begin with, let’s dispel one likely mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A significant 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. Many courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. But since the non-clinical part of the training may be attended online, it might be a more convenient option for some Washington CT students. As an added benefit, some online programs are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some expenses, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomist program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this approach to learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then earning your certificate or degree online might be the right option for you.

What to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Now that you have a basic idea about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already picked 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 school is important if you will be commuting from Washington CT in addition to the tuition expense. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online school. All of these decisions are an important part of the process for picking a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the colleges you are considering prior to making your final selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed before practicing as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you may have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Connecticut or the state where you will be working and preps you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you enroll in should be accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several advantages to graduating from an accredited program aside from 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 administered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in getting financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to future employers in the Washington CT job market.

What is the College’s Reputation? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s important to investigate the reputations of all colleges you are reviewing. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can screen internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can even check with several Washington CT hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and find out if they can provide any insights. As a closing 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 Provided? First, check with the state regulator where you will be working to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything lower than these minimums may signify that the program is not expansive enough to provide sufficient training.

Are Internships Provided? Find out from the colleges you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with local healthcare facilities. They are the ideal way to receive hands-on practical training often not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students establish contacts within the local Washington CT health care community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Available? Finding your first phlebotomist job will be much easier with the support of a job placement program. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, signifying they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the school has both a good reputation together with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Washington CT health care community.

Are Classes Available as Needed? And last, it’s critical to make sure that the final college you select provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is especially important if you opt to still work while going to college. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Washington CT, make sure they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option also. And if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up policy is should you have to miss any classes due to emergencies or illness.

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Low Cost Phlebotomy Training Washington Connecticut

Making sure that you pick the right phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding medical care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a superior school. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs are offered in a wide range of educational institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive array of programs in medical care and health sciences. Program options can vary somewhat across the country as each state has its own mandates when it pertains to phlebotomy training, licensing and certification. The most important point is that you must diligently screen and compare each program before making your ultimate selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Low Cost Phlebotomy Training and to get more information regarding Find Phlebotomy Education Near Me.  However, by asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the ideal phlebotomy program for you. And with the appropriate education, you can reach your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Washington CT.

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