How to Find the Best Phlebotomist Training Program near Monrovia Maryland
Picking the right phlebotomy technician training near Monrovia MD is a critical first step toward a gratifying profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult task to investigate and compare each of the school options that are available to you. However it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you obtain a superior education. In reality, a large number of prospective students start the process by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional factor you might consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to an area campus. We’ll talk a bit more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to keep in mind is that there is a lot more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your selection 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 reviewing to help you choose the right one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online classes.
Request Free Information on Phlebotomy Training Near You!
Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?
Right out of the gate, few people probably know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short definition is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. We will provide more details later. So naturally anyone who selects this profession must be OK around needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Monrovia MD medical environments, well this profession may not be the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomy Technicians often work around nervous people who hate needles or having a blood sample drawn. And because most health care facilities are open 24 hours, you will probably 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 may be the right job for you.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Phlebotomy Training Near You!
Phlebotomy Technician Job Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, draws blood from patients. Although that is their main task, there is actually so much more to their job description. Prior to drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check that the tools being utilized are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample needs to be correctly labeled with the patient’s information. Afterward, paperwork must be accurately completed 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. Some phlebotomists in fact work in Monrovia MD labs and are accountable for making sure that samples are analyzed correctly utilizing the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they may be called upon to train other phlebotomists in the collection, transport and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomists Practice?
The easiest response is wherever patients are treated. Their work places are numerous and varied, such as Monrovia MD hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They can be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from babies or toddlers to senior citizens. Some phlebotomy techs, depending on their training and their practice, specialize in drawing blood from a certain type of patient. For instance, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be collecting blood from older patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from mothers and newborns solely. In contrast, phlebotomists working in a general hospital setting would be collecting samples from a wide range of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.
Phlebotomy Education, Licensing and Certification
There are essentially two kinds of programs that furnish phlebotomy training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program generally takes under a year to complete and provides a basic education as well as 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 phlebotomist degree, will include training to become a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically take 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program furnish a more comprehensive background in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. Although not required in most states, most Monrovia MD employers look for certification before hiring technicians. A few of the primary 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 phlebotomy tech, such as Nevada and California. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a premium education, but also preps you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.
Online Phlebotomist Certificates and Degrees
To start with, let’s resolve one potential misconception. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A good part of the program of studies will be practical training and it will be carried out either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. A large number of courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-practical component of the training may be accessed online, it can be a more practical option for many Monrovia MD students. As an additional benefit, a number of online colleges are less expensive than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, such as those for commuting or textbooks, may be reduced as well. Just verify that the online phlebotomist school you select is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this means of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then earning your degree or certificate online may be the best choice for you.
Topics to Ask Phlebotomist Colleges
Now that you have a general idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomist, it’s time to initiate your due diligence process. You may have already decided on the kind 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 Monrovia MD as well as the cost of tuition. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an accredited phlebotomy online school. All of these decisions are an important component of the process for choosing a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole concerns when arriving at your decision. Following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are looking at prior to making your final selection.
Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomist. Some states call for certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training completed before working as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you might have to pass a State Board, certification or licensing exam. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for all exams you may have to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program 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 program in addition to a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not be able to take a certification examination offered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Next, accreditation will help in obtaining financial aid or loans, which are typically unavailable for non-accredited colleges. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited school can make you more desirable to prospective employers in the Monrovia MD job market.
What is the Program’s Reputation? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s imperative to check out the reputations of all colleges you are considering. You can begin by asking the schools for references from employers where they place their students as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. You can even talk to several Monrovia MD hospitals or clinics that you may be interested in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a closing thought, you can contact the Maryland school licensing authority and ask if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in total compliance.
Is Adequate Training Included? 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 clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomy program that you are looking at should furnish no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything below these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to furnish adequate training.
Are Internships Included? Ask the schools you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with regional healthcare facilities. They are the optimal way to get hands-on clinical training frequently not obtainable on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students develop relationships within the local Monrovia MD medical community. And they are a plus on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing your first phlebotomist job will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Ask if the programs you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a college has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the school has both an excellent reputation along with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Monrovia MD medical community.
Are Classes Compatible With Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to make sure that the ultimate college you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your active schedule. This is particularly important if you opt to still work while attending college. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Monrovia MD, make sure they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure it is an option also. Even if you have decided to study online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure 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 due to emergencies or illness.
Blood Taking Course Monrovia MD
How Long Is A Phlebotomy Program Monrovia Maryland
Making sure that you pick the most suitable phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying health care field. As we have addressed in this article, there are multiple factors that go into the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomy training programs are found in a number of academic institutes, such as community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive assortment of programs in medical care and health sciences. Program options may vary slightly across the country as each state has its own requirements when it concerns phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must thoroughly evaluate and compare each school prior to making your ultimate choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Long Is A Phlebotomy Program and to get more information regarding Training Phlebotomy. However, by asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the right phlebotomist school for you. And with the proper training, you can achieve your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Monrovia MD.
More Maryland Bloody Wonderful Locations
Monrovia, Maryland
Monrovia is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Frederick County, in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 416.[2] The ZIP code for the area is 21770.
The original unincorporated community of Monrovia is located along Maryland Route 75 in southeastern Frederick County, 1 mile (1.6 km) south of New Market. The Monrovia CDP extends south of the original Monrovia as far as Maryland Route 80 and west to include nearly all of Ed McClain Road. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Monrovia CDP has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.8 km2), all of it land.[2]
Monrovia is part of the Frederick County public school system. Children from the area attend Green Valley or Kemptown Elementary School, Windsor Knolls Middle School, and Urbana High School or Linganore High School, due to redistricting in the fall of 2010.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 131
3 Reviews 
5 Reviews 
17 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
8 Reviews 
14 Reviews 
75 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
60 Reviews 