How to Enroll in the Right Phlebotomist School near Nashville Georgia
Selecting the right phlebotomist school near Nashville GA is an essential first step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a daunting undertaking to investigate and compare all of the training options that are accessible to you. However it’s important that you complete your due diligence to ensure that you get a superior education. In fact, a large number of students begin their search by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you might look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll discuss more about online schools later in this article. What you need to keep in mind is that there is a lot more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and need to be part of your decision process as well. To assist in that effort, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you select the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our discussion about online classes.
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Should You Train to Be a Plebotomist?
First of all, not many people are likely to know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The basic answer is a medical professional who draws blood from patients. We will provide more details later. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be able to handle needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Nashville GA medical environments, well this profession may not be the best choice for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work with nervous people who don’t like needles or having their blood drawn. And because most health care facilities are open 24 hours, you may 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 compassionate and very patient, this may be the perfect profession for you.
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Phlebotomy Tech Career Summary
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, collects blood samples from patients. While that is their main responsibility, there is in fact so much more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to verify that the tools being utilized are single use only and sterile. Following the collection, the sample needs to be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Next, paperwork must be properly completed in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab screening process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be screened for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Many phlebotomists actually work in Nashville GA laboratories and are in charge of making certain that samples are tested correctly using the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough responsibilities, they may be required to train other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomists Practice?
The simplest response is wherever patients are treated. Their workplaces are many and diverse, including Nashville GA hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They may be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, based on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing blood from a specific type of patient. For instance, those working in an assisted living facility or nursing home would only be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from mothers and newborns solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians practicing in a general hospital environment would be drawing samples from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomy Technician Education, Licensing and Certification
There are basically 2 kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program usually takes under a year to finish and offers a general education along with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they normally require two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program furnish a more comprehensive background in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will probably want to become certified. Although not required in the majority of states, many Nashville GA employers require certification prior to employing technicians. Some of the primary 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 prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, like Nevada and California. California and a few additional states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a quality education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing exams that you are required or elect to take.
Phlebotomy Online Training
First, let’s resolve one potential mistaken belief. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial part of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be performed 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 portion of the training can be attended online, it might be a more practical alternative for some Nashville GA students. As an added benefit, many online schools are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some costs, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be minimized also. Just confirm that the online phlebotomy program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a premium education with this approach to learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online may be the best choice for you.
What 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 may have already chosen the type of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the campus is significant if you will be commuting from Nashville GA in addition to the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online program. All of these decisions are a critical part of the procedure for picking a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the sole concerns when making your decision. Following are several questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering prior to making your final decision.
Is the Phlebotomy Program State Specific? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomist. Several states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of clinical training performed before working as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s very important to select a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Georgia or the state where you will be working and preps you for any exams you may be required to take.
Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you choose should be accredited by a highly regarded 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 school aside from a guarantee of a premium education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to take a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in getting loans or financial assistance, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Last, graduating from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the Nashville GA job market.
What is the College’s Ranking? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of all colleges you are reviewing. You can start by asking the schools for references from employers where they refer their graduates as part of their job assistance program. You can research internet school reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also contact several Nashville GA clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insights. As a final thought, you can contact the Georgia school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.
Is Ample Training Provided? 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 classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are considering should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything below these minimums may signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to furnish adequate training.
Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the schools you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with local health care facilities. They are the optimal way to obtain hands-on clinical training often not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Nashville GA health care community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Support Provided? Finding your first phlebotomy position will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the program has both a good reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Nashville GA medical community.
Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s crucial to make sure that the ultimate program you pick offers classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is especially important if you choose to still work while attending school. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Nashville GA, make sure they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option also. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is should you have to miss any classes due to emergencies or illness.
Can You Take Phlebotomy Classes Online Nashville GA
Accredited Phlebotomy Tech Courses Near Me Nashville Georgia
Making sure that you choose the ideal phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling medical care field. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are found in a wide range of educational institutes, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a comprehensive assortment of courses in medical care and health sciences. Training program offerings can differ somewhat across the country as every state has its own requirements when it pertains to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to thoroughly evaluate and compare each college prior to making your final decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accredited Phlebotomy Tech Courses Near Me and to get more information regarding Weekend Phlebotomist Schools. However, by asking the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the ideal phlebotomy program for you. And with the proper education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Nashville GA.
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Nashville, Georgia
Nashville is a city in Berrien County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,939 at the 2010 census.[4] The city is the county seat of Berrien County.[5] It is called the "City of Dogwoods", as the tree grows in large numbers around the area.[citation needed]
Nashville was founded about 1840. In 1856, Nashville was designated seat of the newly formed Berrien County. It was incorporated as a town in 1892 and as a city in 1900.[6] The city is named after Francis Nash (1742–1777), an officer in the American Revolutionary War.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.2 km2), of which 4.6 square miles (12.0 km2) is land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 1.13%, is water.[4]
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