How to Find the Best Phlebotomy Technician School near Everett Massachusetts
Picking the right phlebotomy school near Everett MA is an important first step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging task to assess and compare all of the school alternatives that are accessible to you. However it’s important that you do your due diligence to make certain that you obtain a quality education. In reality, most potential students start their search by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are location and cost. An additional option you might consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to a local campus. We’ll talk more about online classes later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is much more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other factors such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and should be part of your decision process as well. 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 select the ideal one for you. But before we do that, let’s cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our conversation about online classes.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Tech?
First of all, few 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 selects this profession must be OK around needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Everett MA medical facilities, well this job probably is not the best choice 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 most health care facilities are open around the clock, you will probably be required to work weekends, nights and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the needles and blood, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are compassionate and very patient, this could be the perfect job for you.
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Phlebotomist Job Summary
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, collects blood samples from patients. Although that is their principal function, there is actually so much more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to confirm that the tools being used are single use only and sterile. After collection, the sample needs to be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork has to be accurately filled out in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the laboratory testing process. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it may be tested for such things as infectious diseases, pregnancy or blood type. Some phlebotomists actually work in Everett MA labs and are in charge of making certain that samples are tested correctly using the strictest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient responsibilities, they might be called upon to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, delivery and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomy Techs Work?
The easiest response is wherever there are patients. Their work environments are numerous and diverse, such as Everett MA medical clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or blood banks. They can be assigned to draw blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or toddlers to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, based on their training and their practice, specialize in collecting blood from a particular kind of patient. For instance, those working in a nursing home or assisted living facility would only be collecting blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers solely. On the other hand, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be drawing blood from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients every day.
Phlebotomy Education, Certification and Licensing
There are primarily 2 types of programs that offer phlebotomist training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program typically takes under a year to complete and provides a general education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the quickest means to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will provide training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Offered at community and junior colleges, they usually take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program offer a more extensive foundation in lab sciences. When you have completed your training, you will no doubt want to be certified. While not required in the majority of states, a number of Everett MA employers look for certification prior to hiring technicians. Some 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 several states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomist, like California and Nevada. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you select a phlebotomist training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also prepares you for any licensing or certification examinations that you are required or elect to take.
Online Phlebotomist Colleges
To start with, let’s dispel one likely mistaken belief. You can’t receive all of your phlebotomist training online. A substantial component of the program of studies will be clinical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Many courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical portion of the training may be accessed online, it can be a more practical option for some Everett MA students. As an added benefit, many online colleges are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenses, such as those for textbooks or commuting, may be lowered also. Just make sure that the online phlebotomist program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive 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 attaining your certificate or degree online may be the best choice for you.
What to Ask Phlebotomist Programs
Since you now have a general idea about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to start your due diligence process. You might have already chosen the kind of program you wish 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 Everett MA as well as the cost of tuition. Perhaps you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist program. Each of these decisions are an important component of the process for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are looking at before making your final decision.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own requirements for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states call for certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own prerequisite regarding the minimum amount of clinical training performed before practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s very important to select a phlebotomy program that satisfies the state specific requirements for Massachusetts or the state where you will be working and readies you for all examinations you may have to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you enroll in should be accredited by a highly regarded regional or national accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a premium education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to take a certification exam offered by any of the previously listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in securing loans or financial assistance, 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 Everett MA job market.
What is the School’s Reputation? In many states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s imperative to investigate the reputations of any schools you are reviewing. You can start by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their graduates as part of their job placement program. You can research online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can even check with a few Everett MA clinics or hospitals that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations. As a closing thought, you can check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been submitted or if the colleges are in total compliance.
Is Adequate Training Provided? First, check with the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. As a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are looking at should provide no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums may indicate that the program is not expansive enough to offer sufficient training.
Are Internships Provided? Find out from the schools you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with regional healthcare facilities. They are the optimal way to receive hands-on practical training frequently not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can help students develop contacts within the local Everett MA health care community. And they are a plus on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Support Offered? Getting your first phlebotomy job will be a lot easier with the support of a job placement program. Find out if the programs you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, signifying they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the program has both an excellent reputation along with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Everett MA medical community.
Are Classes Compatible With Your Schedule? Finally, it’s critical to confirm that the ultimate program you select offers classes at times that will accommodate your active lifestyle. This is particularly important if you choose to still work while attending college. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Everett MA, 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 clinical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is in case you have to miss any classes as a result of illness or emergencies.
Phlebotomy Technician Classes Everett MA
Online Phlebotomy Course Everett Massachusetts
Making sure that you pick the most suitable phlebotomy 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 contribute toward the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are offered in a wide range of educational institutions, such as junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings can vary a bit across the country as each state has its own criteria when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most critical point is that you need to diligently screen and compare each college prior to making your ultimate choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Phlebotomy Course and to get more information regarding 2 Week Phlebotomy Training. However, by addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the right phlebotomy school for you. And with the proper education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Everett MA.
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Everett, Massachusetts
Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, directly north of Boston, bordering the neighborhood of Charlestown. The population was 41,667 at the time of the 2010 United States Census.[4]
Everett was the last city in the United States to have a bicameral legislature,[5] which was composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an eighteen-member Common Council. On November 8, 2011, the voters approved a new City Charter that changed the City Council to a unicameral body with eleven members – six ward councilors and five councilors-at-large; an event that provoked an emotional response from many Everett residents. The new City Council was elected during the 2013 City Election.
Everett was originally part of Charlestown, and later Malden. It separated from Malden in 1870.[6] In 1892, Everett changed from a town to a city. On December 13, 1892, Alonzo H. Evans defeated George E. Smith to become Everett's first Mayor.[7]
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