How to Find the Right Phlebotomy Training Course near Hopkins Park Illinois
Enrolling in the right phlebotomy school near Hopkins Park IL is an essential initial step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a challenging undertaking to analyze and compare all of the school options that are accessible to you. Nevertheless it’s necessary that you perform your due diligence to ensure that you receive a superior education. In reality, many students start the process by considering 2 of the qualifiers that first come to mind, which are cost and location. Another option you may look into is whether to attend online classes or commute to an area campus. We’ll discuss a bit more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is far more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than finding the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors including accreditation and reputation are also important considerations and need to be part of your selection 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 reviewing to help you select the best one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and afterwards resume our conversation about online schools.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?
Right out of the gate, not many people probably know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The basic answer is a health care professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So of course anyone who decides to enter this profession must be OK around needles and blood. And if you are anxious in hospitals or other Hopkins Park IL medical facilities, well this profession may not be the best choice for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomy Techs 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 can handle the hours and the needles and blood, and if you enjoy helping people and are patient and compassionate, this may be the perfect job for you.
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Phlebotomist Job Summary
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary duty, there is in fact much more to their job description. Prior to collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the tools being employed are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample must be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork needs to be correctly 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 may be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Some phlebotomists in fact work in Hopkins Park IL laboratories and are in charge of making certain that samples are tested correctly under the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomy Techs Practice?
The simplest response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are many and varied, such as Hopkins Park IL hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They may be charged to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. Some phlebotomists, based on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing samples from a specific kind of patient. For example, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would exclusively be collecting blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers exclusively. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing
There are basically two kinds of programs that offer phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program normally takes less than a year to finish and furnishes a basic education along 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 phlebotomy degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they normally require 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program furnish a more comprehensive foundation in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will probably want to become certified. While not required in most states, many Hopkins Park IL employers look for certification before employing technicians. A few of the key 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 call for certification in order to practice as a phlebotomist, 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 supplies a quality education, but also prepares you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Online Phlebotomist Schools
To start with, let’s dispel one possible mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial portion of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be conducted either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. Many courses also require completing an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-clinical component of the training may be attended online, it can be a more convenient option for many Hopkins Park IL students. As an additional benefit, a number of online classes are less expensive than their traditional competitors. And some expenses, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be lessened as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomy college you choose is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the comprehensive online and clinical training, you can receive a premium education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then attaining your degree or certificate online may be the ideal choice for you.
Points to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges
Since you now have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to start 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 previously mentioned, the location of the college is important if you will be commuting from Hopkins Park IL in addition to the tuition expense. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy school. All of these decisions are an important component 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 programs you are looking at before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As previously mentioned, each state has its own regulations for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum hours of clinical training performed prior to practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, certification or licensing examination. Therefore it’s very important to select a phlebotomy program that meets the state specific requirements for Illinois or the state where you will be working and readies you for any examinations you may be required to take.
Is the College Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you choose should be accredited by a recognized regional or national accrediting agency, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from a guarantee of a premium education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more attractive to future employers in the Hopkins Park IL job market.
What is the Program’s Ranking? In a number of states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to check out the reputations of any schools you are looking at. 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 screen internet school reviews and rating services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can also contact a few Hopkins Park IL hospitals or clinics that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insights. As a closing thought, you can contact the Illinois school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
Is Adequate Training Included? 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 clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are considering should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (most 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 Sponsored? Ask the schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in collaboration with area medical facilities. They are the optimal way to get hands-on clinical training typically not obtainable on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop relationships within the local Hopkins Park IL healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding your first phlebotomy job will be a lot 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 higher rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the college has both an excellent reputation along with a large network of professional contacts within the Hopkins Park IL medical community.
Are Classes Conveniently Scheduled? Finally, it’s crucial to make sure that the final program you choose offers classes at times that are compatible with your active lifestyle. This is particularly true if you opt to still work while attending college. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hopkins Park IL, make sure they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, verify it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be fulfilled within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is in case you need to miss any classes because of illness or emergencies.
How Much Are Phlebotomy Classes Hopkins Park IL
Affordable Phlebotomy Technician Associates Degrees Hopkins Park Illinois
Making sure that you pick the most suitable phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying health care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a superior program. Phlebotomist training programs can be found in a number of academic institutes, such as junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer a wide array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings can vary slightly across the country as each state has its own prerequisites when it concerns phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must diligently research and compare each college before making your final selection. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Affordable Phlebotomy Technician Associates Degrees and to get more information regarding Low Cost Drawing Blood Training Near Me. However, by addressing the questions that we have presented, 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 Hopkins Park IL.
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Hopkins Park, Illinois
Hopkins Park is a village in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 603 at the 2010 census,[3] down from 711 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Kankakee–Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Hopkins Park is located in southeastern Kankakee County at 41°4′21″N 87°36′18″W / 41.07250°N 87.60500°W / 41.07250; -87.60500 (41.072450, -87.605109).[4] It is 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Kankakee, the county seat, and includes the former unincorporated community of Doney.
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 711 people, 241 households, and 161 families residing in the village. The population density was 194.2 people per square mile (75.0/km²). There were 271 housing units at an average density of 74.0 per square mile (28.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 4.08% White, 92.26% African American, 0.14% Asian, 1.97% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population.
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