How to Find the Best Phlebotomy School near Kailua Kona Hawaii
Selecting the ideal phlebotomist training near Kailua Kona HI is an essential initial step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a daunting task to assess and compare all of the school options that are available to you. Nevertheless it’s important that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a quality education. In fact, a large number of potential students start the process by looking at two of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional option you might look into is whether to attend classes online or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll talk a bit more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is far more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and should be part of your decision process too. To assist in that effort, we will supply a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you choose the best one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards continue our conversation about online schools.
Request Free Information on Phlebotomy Training Near You!
Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?
First of all, few people are likely to know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short definition is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be able to handle blood and needles. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Kailua Kona HI medical environments, well this profession probably is not right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians often work with anxious people who don’t like needles or having a blood sample taken. And because many medical facilities are open around the clock, you may be expected to work weekends, nights 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 may be the right job for you.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Phlebotomy Training Near You!
Phlebotomist Work Summary
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their main task, there is in fact far more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the instruments being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork must be accurately 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 in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Some phlebotomists in fact work in Kailua Kona HI labs and are responsible for making certain that samples are tested correctly under the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be required to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.
Where are Phlebotomy Techs Employed?
The quickest response is wherever there are patients. Their work places are numerous and varied, including Kailua Kona HI hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They may be charged to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or young children to seniors. Some phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a specific kind of patient. For instance, those practicing in a nursing home or assisted living facility would solely be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. In contrast, phlebotomists practicing in a general hospital environment would be collecting samples from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from new patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomy Training, Certification and Licensing
There are essentially 2 types of programs that furnish phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program usually takes under a year to complete and provides a general education together 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 incorporate training to become a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they typically require two years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are less accessible and as a 4 year program provide a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to be certified. Although not required in most states, many Kailua Kona HI employers look for certification prior to hiring technicians. A few of the key 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 in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, like California and Nevada. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a premium education, but also readies you for any certification or licensing exams that you elect or are required to take.
Phlebotomist Online Schools
To begin with, let’s resolve one likely misconception. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A significant part of the course of study will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Numerous courses also require completion of an internship prior to graduation. But since the non-clinical part of the training may be accessed online, it could be a more practical alternative for many Kailua Kona HI students. As an added benefit, some online schools are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some costs, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be lowered also. Just verify that the online phlebotomy school you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can obtain a quality education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then earning your certificate or degree online may be the best option for you.
Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Schools
Now that you have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You might have already selected 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 college is important if you will be commuting from Kailua Kona HI in addition to the tuition expense. Possibly you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy program. Each of these decisions are an important part of the process for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only concerns when arriving at your decision. Following are several questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are reviewing before making your final decision.
Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Hawaii? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you might have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s very important to choose a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Hawaii or the state where you will be working and prepares you for any examinations you may be required to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you choose should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting agency, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from an assurance of a superior education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to sit for a certification examination administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Kailua Kona HI job market.
What is the Program’s Reputation? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of all schools you are looking at. You can begin 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 even contact several Kailua Kona HI clinics or hospitals that you may be interested in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a closing thought, you can check with the Hawaii school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been submitted or if the colleges are in total compliance.
Is Adequate Training Included? First, contact the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. As a minimum, any phlebotomy 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 lower than these minimums may signify that the program is not expansive enough to offer adequate training.
Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask the schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with regional healthcare facilities. They are the ideal means to get hands-on clinical training often not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Kailua Kona HI healthcare community. And they look good on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Support Available? Finding your first phlebotomist job will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are reviewing provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a higher rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation along with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Kailua Kona HI health care community.
Are Class Times Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s critical to confirm that the final program you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. This is particularly important if you choose to still work while attending college. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Kailua Kona HI, make certain they are available at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option as well. And 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 policy is in case you need to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.
Phlebotomy Tech School Kailua Kona HI
Weekend Phlebotomy Technician Associates Degrees Near Me Kailua Kona Hawaii
Making sure that you enroll in the most suitable phlebotomist training is a critical first step toward your success in this gratifying health care field. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a premium program. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs can be found in a number of academic institutes, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide assortment of courses in medical care and health sciences. Program options can differ a bit from state to state as each state has its own requirements when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must carefully research and compare each college prior to making your ultimate decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Weekend Phlebotomy Technician Associates Degrees Near Me and to get more information regarding Local Phlebotomy Tech Training. However, by asking the questions that we have presented, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the ideal phlebotomist college for you. And with the proper education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Kailua Kona HI.
More Hawaii Bloody Wonderful Locations
Kailua, Hawaii County, Hawaii
Kailua is an unincorporated city (Census Designated Place) in Hawaiʻi County, Hawaii, United States, in the North Kona District of the Island of Hawaiʻi.[1] The population was 11,975 at the 2010 census,[2] up from 9,870 at the 2000 census. It is the center of commerce and of the tourist industry on West Hawaiʻi. Its post office is designated Kailua-Kona[3] to differentiate it from Kailua located on the windward side of Oʻahu island, and it is sometimes referred to as Kona in everyday speech. The city is served by Kona International Airport, located just to the north in the adjacent Kalaoa CDP.[4] Kailua-Kona was the closest major settlement to the epicenter of the 2006 Kiholo Bay earthquake.
The community was established by King Kamehameha I to be his seat of government when he was chief of Kona before he consolidated rule of the archipelago in 1795. It was later designated as the capital of the newly unified Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. The capital was later moved to Lāhainā, and then to Honolulu.
Royal fishponds at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park were the hub of unified Hawaiian culture. The town later functioned as a retreat of the Hawaiian royal family. Up until the late 1900s, Kailua-Kona was primarily a small fishing village.[5]:58 In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the region has undergone a real estate and construction boom fueled by tourism and investment.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 6
5 Reviews 
44 Reviews 
32 Reviews 
41 Reviews 
20 Reviews 
16 Reviews 