How to Select the Right Phlebotomy Technician Training Classes near Eaton Rapids Michigan
Selecting the ideal phlebotomy school near Eaton Rapids MI is an essential initial step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a challenging undertaking to evaluate and compare each of the school options that are accessible to you. However it’s important that you do your due diligence to make sure that you get a superior education. In fact, most prospective students begin the process by looking at 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. An additional factor you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a nearby campus. We’ll talk more about online schools later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is much more to checking out phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other variables including accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and need to be part of your selection process also. Toward that end, we will provide a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are assessing to help you select the right one for you. But prior to doing that, let’s address what a phlebotomist is and does, and then resume our conversation about online schools.
Request Free Information on Phlebotomy Training Near You!
Should You Choose a Career as a Plebotomist?
Right out of the gate, few people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short answer is a health care professional whose job is to draw blood. We will go into more depth later. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be comfortable with needles and blood. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Eaton Rapids MI medical facilities, well this job may not be right for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomists often work with nervous people who don’t like needles or having their blood drawn. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you will probably be expected to work weekends, evenings and, you guessed it 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 Career Summary
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. Although that is their principal task, there is actually so much more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist has to check that the tools being utilized are sterile and single use only. Following the collection, the sample has to be properly labeled with the patient’s data. Afterward, paperwork must be accurately completed to be able to track the sample from the time 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 screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. A number of phlebotomists actually work in Eaton Rapids MI laboratories and are responsible for ensuring that samples are tested correctly under the highest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t sufficient duties, they can be required to train 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 many and varied, including Eaton Rapids MI medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood banks. They can be assigned to collect blood samples from patients of of every age, from infants or toddlers to senior citizens. A number of phlebotomy techs, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in drawing samples from a particular type of patient. For instance, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would exclusively be drawing blood from older patients. If they are working in a maternity ward, they would be drawing blood from newborns and mothers solely. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital setting would be collecting samples from a wide variety of patients and would work with different patients every day.
Phlebotomy Technician Education, Certification and Licensing
There are basically two types of programs that furnish phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program usually takes less than a year to complete and provides a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest means to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they usually take 2 years to finish. Bachelor’s Degrees are not as available and as a four year program provide a more expansive background in lab sciences. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to get certified. While not mandated in most states, a number of Eaton Rapids MI employers look for certification before employing technicians. A few of the principal certifying agencies 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 require certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, including California and Nevada. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you choose a phlebotomist training program that not only offers a quality education, but also preps you for any certification or licensing examinations that you elect or are required to take.
Phlebotomy Online Colleges
To begin with, let’s dispel one possible mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomist training online. A good portion of the program of studies will be clinical 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 in order to graduate. But since the non-practical component of the training may be attended online, it might be a more practical alternative for many Eaton Rapids MI students. As an added benefit, a number of online classes are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenses, including those for textbooks or commuting, may be lessened as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomy school you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can obtain a superior education with this method of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online may be the best choice for you.
Subjects to Ask Phlebotomist Programs
Since you now 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 picked the type of program you want 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 Eaton Rapids MI in addition to the tuition expense. Maybe you have decided to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist program. All of these decisions are an important component of the process for selecting a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final decision.
Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Michigan? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while a few others mandate licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training performed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may have to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it’s very important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that fulfills the state specific requirements for Michigan or the state where you will be practicing and preps you for all exams you may have to take.
Is the School Accredited? The phlebotomist school and program you select should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are many benefits to graduating from an accredited program aside from an assurance of a quality education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not be able to sit for a certification exam offered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Next, accreditation will help in securing financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more attractive to prospective employers in the Eaton Rapids MI job market.
What is the Program’s Ranking? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomist colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest quality. So along with accreditation, it’s important to check out the reputations of any colleges you are considering. You can start 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 also talk to some Eaton Rapids MI clinics or hospitals that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insights. As a closing thought, you can check with the Michigan school licensing authority and find out if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.
Is Sufficient Training Included? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are looking at should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything lower than these minimums might indicate that the program is not expansive enough to offer sufficient training.
Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the programs you are considering if they have an internship program in partnership with regional medical facilities. They are the ideal way to receive hands-on clinical training typically not provided on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students develop contacts within the local Eaton Rapids MI healthcare community. And they are a plus on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Help Available? Finding your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Find out if the schools you are considering offer assistance and what their job placement rate is. If a school 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 as well as an extensive network of professional contacts within the Eaton Rapids MI health care community.
Are Class Times Available as Needed? Finally, it’s critical to confirm that the ultimate school you select provides classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is particularly true if you decide to still work while attending school. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Eaton Rapids MI, make certain they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend part-time, confirm it is an option as well. Even 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 protocol is should you have to miss any classes because of emergencies or illness.
Schools That Offer Phlebotomy Eaton Rapids MI
Free Info on Drawing Blood Classes Eaton Rapids Michigan
Making sure that you enroll in the ideal phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding health care career position. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that contribute toward the selection of a superior college. Phlebotomy certificate or degree programs are found in a number of educational institutions, such as junior or community colleges, vocational schools, and colleges and universities that offer a comprehensive assortment of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings may differ slightly across the country as every state has its own prerequisites when it pertains to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must carefully evaluate and compare each school before making your ultimate decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Free Info on Drawing Blood Classes and to get more information regarding Compare Phlebotomy Tech Education. However, by addressing the questions that we have provided, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can pick the best phlebotomist college for you. And with the proper education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Eaton Rapids MI.
More Michigan Bloody Wonderful Locations
Eaton Rapids, Michigan
The city is located in the south of Eaton Rapids Township, on the boundary with Hamlin Township, though it is politically independent of both townships. Its nickname is the Island City, since the downtown is located on an island, with a public park, in the Grand River.[7]
The area constituting Eaton Rapids was first settled by Euro-Americans around the year 1835, who were drawn there because of the timber and water power in the area. It became a center of industry. The following year, a sawmill was constructed near Spring Brook in Spicerville; it provided the lumber settlers used to build Eaton Rapids. In 1837, the Old Red Mill was constructed by the mill company; it used waterpower from the stream to grind corn. The mill company later used wood from Spicerville to construct their own sawmill along the Grand River, as well as a wool carding mill.[9]
In 1852, mineral water was first discovered by E.B. Frost, earning Eaton Rapids worldwide fame and the nickname The Saratoga of the West, referring to Saratoga Springs, New York, which had tourism based on such waters.[9] This water was in huge demand, and resulted in many people coming to take mineral water baths, considered to have health benefits, as well as cures from specific ailments. Fourteen wells were drilled in total to supply water for the baths. Only three are still operational.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 4
1 Reviews 
5 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
1 Reviews 