How to Choose the Best Phlebotomist School near Highland Park New Jersey
Enrolling in the right phlebotomist school near Highland Park NJ is an important first step toward a gratifying career as a phlebotomist. It may seem like a difficult undertaking to analyze and compare each of the school alternatives that are available to you. However it’s vital that you perform your due diligence to make sure that you receive a quality education. In reality, most prospective students begin their search by considering 2 of the qualifiers that initially come to mind, which are cost and location. Another option you may consider is whether to attend classes online or commute to a local campus. We’ll discuss a bit more about online classes later in this article. What’s important to remember is that there is a lot more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the cheapest or the closest one. Other factors such as reputation and accreditation are also important considerations and must be part of your decision process too. To assist in that effort, we will furnish a list of questions that you should ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are reviewing to help you choose the right 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.
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Should You Go to School to Become a Phlebotomy Technician?
First of all, not many people are likely to know what a phlebotomist or phlebotomy technician is. The short answer is a health care professional who draws blood from patients. We will provide more details later. So of course anyone who selects this profession must be OK around blood and needles. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Highland Park NJ medical facilities, well this profession probably is not the best choice for you. And then there are the patients. Phlebotomy Techs routinely work around anxious people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you may be expected to work weekends, evenings and even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the needles and blood, and if you enjoy helping people and are compassionate and very patient, this may be the right profession for you.
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Phlebotomist Career Description
A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy tech, draws blood from patients. While that is their primary responsibility, there is actually much more to their job description. Before drawing a blood sample, a phlebotomist must confirm that the tools being employed are sterile and single use only. After collection, the sample needs to be accurately labeled with the patient’s data. Next, paperwork has to be properly completed in order to track the sample from the point of collection through the lab testing procedure. The phlebotomist then delivers the blood to either an in-house lab or to an outside lab facility where it can be tested for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. A number of phlebotomists in fact work in Highland Park NJ laboratories and are in charge of making sure that samples are tested correctly utilizing the highest quality control procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they might be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the drawing, transport and follow-up process.
Where do Phlebotomists Work?
The simplest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their workplaces are many and varied, such as Highland Park NJ hospitals, medical clinics, long-term care facilities, or blood centers. They can be assigned to draw blood samples from patients of all ages, from infants or young children to seniors. A number of phlebotomists, based on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a particular kind of patient. For example, those practicing in an assisted living facility or nursing home would only be drawing blood from elderly patients. If they are practicing in a maternity ward, they would be collecting blood from newborns and mothers solely. In contrast, phlebotomy technicians working in a general hospital environment would be collecting samples from a wide variety of patients and would work with new patients every day.
Phlebotomist Training, Certification and Licensing
There are basically 2 kinds of programs that provide phlebotomist training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program usually takes under a year to complete and offers a basic education along with 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, even though it’s not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will incorporate training to become a phlebotomist. Available at junior and community colleges, they usually 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. After you have completed your training, you will probably want to be certified. While not mandated in most states, most Highland Park NJ employers require certification prior to employing technicians. Some of the primary certifying agencies include:
- National Phlebotomy Association
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
There are some states that do call for certification prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech, including California and Nevada. California and a handful of additional states even require licensing. So it’s imperative that you enroll in a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a premium education, but also readies you for any licensing or certification exams that you elect or are required to take.
Online Phlebotomy Classes
To begin with, let’s dispel one possible misconception. You can’t obtain all of your phlebotomist training online. A good part of the course of study will be clinical training and it will be conducted either in an on-campus lab or an approved healthcare facility. A large number of courses also require completion of an internship in order to graduate. However since the non-clinical component of the training can be accessed online, it might be a more practical option for some Highland Park NJ students. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs are less expensive than their traditional competitors. And some expenditures, for instance those for commuting or textbooks, may be minimized as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomy college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can receive a quality education with this method of learning. If you are dedicated enough to study at home, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the right choice for you.
Questions to Ask Phlebotomist Programs
Since you now have a basic understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomist, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already picked the kind of program you want to enroll in, whether it be for a certificate or a degree. As we previously mentioned, the location of the school is relevant if you will be commuting from Highland Park NJ in addition to the cost of tuition. Maybe you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomy college. Each of these decisions are an important part of the process for choosing a phlebotomy program or school. But they are not the only considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are looking at prior to making your ultimate decision.
Is the Phlebotomist Program Specific to New Jersey? As previously mentioned, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states require certification, while a few others require licensing. Each has its own requirement regarding the minimum amount of practical training performed before working as a phlebotomist. Consequently, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s very important to enroll in a phlebotomy program that fulfills the state specific requirements for New Jersey or the state where you will be practicing and readies you for all exams you may have to take.
Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy school and program you enroll in should be accredited by a respected regional or national accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of benefits to graduating from an accredited school in addition to a guarantee of a quality education. To begin with, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification examination administered by any of the earlier listed certifying agencies. Also, accreditation will help in getting financial aid or loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Last, graduating from an accredited college can make you more desirable to potential employers in the Highland Park NJ job market.
What is the College’s Reputation? In a number of states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy schools, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So along with accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of all colleges 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 research online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. You can also check with a few Highland Park NJ hospitals or clinics that you might be interested in working for and see if they can offer any recommendations. As a final thought, you can contact the New Jersey school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in full compliance.
Is Adequate Training Included? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be working to learn if there are any minimum requirements for the length of training, both clinical and classroom. At a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are considering should furnish at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums might indicate that the program is not comprehensive enough to provide adequate training.
Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask the programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with regional health care facilities. They are the ideal way to obtain hands-on practical training frequently not available on campus. As an added benefit, internships can assist students develop relationships within the local Highland Park NJ healthcare community. And they look good on resumes as well.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting your first phlebotomist position will be much easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are looking at provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a higher rate, meaning they place most of their students in positions, it’s an indication that the school has both an excellent reputation together with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Highland Park NJ healthcare community.
Are Class Times Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it’s important to verify that the ultimate college you choose offers classes at times that will accommodate your hectic schedule. This is especially true if you decide to still work while going to college. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Highland Park NJ, make certain they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the clinical training requirement, make sure those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And ask what the make-up procedure is should you need to miss any classes due to emergencies or illness.
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Online Phlebotomy Tech Courses Near Me Highland Park New Jersey
Making sure that you enroll in the right phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this fulfilling health care field. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that go into the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomist training programs are offered in a variety of academic institutes, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that offer an extensive range of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Program offerings can vary slightly across the country as every state has its own requirements when it concerns phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must diligently screen and compare each school before making your ultimate decision. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Phlebotomy Tech Courses Near Me and to get more information regarding 4 Week Phlebotomist Schools. However, by asking the questions that we have provided, you will be able to narrow down your choices so that you can select the right phlebotomy school for you. And with the appropriate education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomist in Highland Park NJ.
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Highland Park, New Jersey
Highland Park is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 13,982,[9][10][11] reflecting a decline of 17 (−0.1%) from the 13,999 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 720 (+5.4%) from the 13,279 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]
Highland Park was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1905, when it broke away from what was then known as Raritan Township (present-day Edison).[21] The borough was named for its location above the Raritan River.[22]
The Native American Lenape people hunted on the hilly land along the Raritan River, and their trails crisscrossed the area. In 1685, John Inian bought land on both shores of the Raritan River and built two new landings downstream from the Assunpink Trail's fording place, which was later developed as Raritan Landing. He established a ferry service and the main road then was redirected to lead straight to the ferry landing. This river crossing was run by generations of different owners and a ferry house tavern operated for many years in the 18th century.[23] A toll bridge replaced the ferry in 1795. The wood plank Albany Street Bridge was dismantled in 1848 and reconstructed in 1853. The present day stone arch road bridge was built in 1892. It became the Lincoln Highway Bridge in 1914 and was widened in 1925.[24]
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