How to Pick the Right Phlebotomy School near Kirtland New Mexico

Selecting the right phlebotomy technician training near Kirtland NM is an essential initial step toward a rewarding career as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult task to assess and compare all of the training options that are available to you. However it’s necessary that you perform your due diligence to ensure that you get a quality education. In fact, most prospective students begin their search by looking at two 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 a local campus. We’ll talk more about online schools later in this article. What you need to remember is that there is a lot more to comparing phlebotomy training programs than locating the closest or the cheapest one. Other variables such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and must be part of your selection process too. To assist in that effort, we will supply 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 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 Choose a Career as a Phlebotomy Tech?

Right out of the gate, few people probably know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The basic definition is a health care professional whose job is to draw blood. We will go into more depth later. So of course anyone who chooses this profession must be able to handle needles and blood. And if you are not comfortable in hospitals or other Kirtland NM medical environments, well this profession probably is not the best choice for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomists routinely work around nervous 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, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you don’t mind working with the blood and needles, and if you enjoy helping people and are patient and compassionate, this may be the right job for you.

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Phlebotomy Technician Job Summary

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 collecting a blood sample, a phlebotomist needs to check 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. Afterward, paperwork has to be correctly 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 an outside lab facility or an in-house lab where it may be screened for such things as pregnancy, infectious diseases or blood type. Some phlebotomists in fact work in Kirtland NM labs and are in charge of making certain that samples are analyzed properly using the strictest quality assurance procedures. And if those weren’t enough duties, they may be required to instruct other phlebotomists in the collection, delivery and follow-up process.

Where do Phlebotomists Work?

The easiest answer is wherever they treat patients. Their work places are numerous and diverse, including Kirtland NM medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, or blood centers. They can be tasked to collect blood samples from patients of all ages, from babies or young children to senior citizens. Some phlebotomy techs, depending on their practice and their training, specialize in collecting blood from a particular type of patient. For example, 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 mothers and newborns solely. In contrast, phlebotomists working in a general hospital setting would be collecting blood from a wide variety of patients and would collect samples from different patients on a daily basis.

Phlebotomy Technician Training, Licensing and Certification

There are basically two kinds of programs that provide phlebotomy training, which are degree and certificate programs. The certificate program normally takes under a year to finish and provides a basic education together with the training on how to draw blood. It provides the fastest method to becoming a phlebotomist. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not specifically a phlebotomist degree, will include training on becoming a phlebotomy tech. Available at junior and community colleges, they typically take 2 years to complete. Bachelor’s Degrees are less available and as a 4 year program furnish a more extensive background in lab sciences. After you have finished your training, you will probably want to become certified. Although not mandated in the majority of states, most Kirtland NM employers require certification prior to employing 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 a few states that do call for certification in order to practice as a phlebotomist, such as Nevada and California. California and a handful of other states even require licensing. So it’s important that you select a phlebotomy training program that not only supplies a superior education, but also prepares you for any licensing or certification exams that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomy Online Colleges

To begin with, let’s resolve one likely mistaken belief. You can’t get all of your phlebotomy training online. A significant component of the course of study 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 in order to graduate. However since the non-clinical portion of the training may be attended online, it could be a more convenient option for many Kirtland NM students. As an additional benefit, some online schools are more affordable than their on-campus competitors. And some expenditures, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be lessened as well. Just confirm that the online phlebotomist college you enroll in is accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization (more on accreditation to follow). With both the comprehensive clinical and online training, you can receive a quality education with this approach to learning. If you are disciplined enough to study at home, then obtaining your certificate or degree online might be the ideal choice for you.

Points to Ask Phlebotomy Schools

Since you now have a general understanding about what is involved in becoming a phlebotomy tech, it’s time to begin your due diligence process. You might have already selected 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 Kirtland NM in addition to the cost of tuition. Perhaps you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist school. All of these decisions are an important component of the procedure for choosing a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the only concerns when arriving at your decision. Below we have provided several questions that you should ask about each of the colleges you are considering before making your final decision.

Is the Phlebotomy Program Specific to Your State? As mentioned previously, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Several states require certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of practical training completed before practicing as a phlebotomist. As a result, you might need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification examination. Therefore it’s very important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that satisfies the state specific requirements for New Mexico or the state where you will be practicing and prepares you for all examinations you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomist program and school you choose should be accredited by a respected national or regional accrediting organization, for example the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are several advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from a guarantee of a quality education. First, if your program is not accredited, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the earlier listed certifying organizations. Also, accreditation will help in getting financial aid or loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited colleges. Finally, graduating from an accredited school can make you more desirable to potential employers in the Kirtland NM job market.

What is the College’s Ranking? In many states there is little or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are some that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it’s essential to check the reputations of all schools you are reviewing. 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 research online school rating and review services and solicit the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can even contact some Kirtland NM hospitals or clinics that you might have an interest in working for and find out if they can provide any insights. As a closing thought, you can check with the New Mexico school licensing authority and find out if any grievances have been filed or if the schools are in total compliance.

Is Ample Training Included? To begin with, contact the state regulator where you will be working to learn 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 no less than 40 hours of classroom training (most require 120) and 120 hours of practical training. Anything less than these minimums might signify that the program is not expansive enough to furnish sufficient training.

Are Internship Programs Included? Ask the programs you are reviewing if they have an internship program in partnership with area healthcare facilities. They are the optimal way to obtain hands-on clinical training often not provided on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can assist students establish contacts within the local Kirtland NM health care community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Landing your first phlebotomist job will be a lot easier with the assistance of a job placement program. Find out if the programs you are reviewing provide assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a school has a high rate, meaning they place the majority of their students in jobs, it’s an indication that the college has both a good reputation as well as a substantial network of professional contacts within the Kirtland NM medical community.

Are Class Times Compatible With Your Schedule? Finally, it’s important to verify that the final program you pick provides classes at times that are compatible with your busy lifestyle. This is particularly true if you decide to continue working while going to college. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Kirtland NM, make sure they are offered at those times. Additionally, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify it is an option as well. And if you have decided to study online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up protocol is should you need to miss any classes due to illness or emergencies.

Phlebotomy Training School Kirtland NM

Accelerated Phlebotomy Technician Associates Degrees Kirtland New Mexico

Making sure that you enroll in the most suitable phlebotomist training is an important first step toward your success in this rewarding health care career position. As we have covered in this article, there are multiple factors that contribute toward the selection of a quality school. Phlebotomist certificate or degree programs can be found in a wide range of educational institutions, including junior or community colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide a wide array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Course options may differ somewhat from state to state as each state has its own requirements when it comes to phlebotomy training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must carefully screen and compare each college before making your ultimate choice. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accelerated Phlebotomy Technician Associates Degrees and to get more information regarding Fast Track Drawing Blood Training Near Me.  However, by addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your choices so that you can select the ideal phlebotomist college for you. And with the proper education, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Kirtland NM.

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